Education_in_Texas

Dear Editor: The real losers in the Texas funding crisis are twofold – our children and our future. Pretty simple, huh' While Texas in recent years has been lauded as a role model in withstanding the recession, and, indeed, while many out-of-work or under-employed people would argue with this, Texas has been “blessed” with job losses not quite as severe as some states. But Texas also has what some suggest is the fastest growing population in the U.S., in part because liberal land-use and zoning policies have kept housing cheap. And this growing population also is bringing us the highest birth rate in the nation, ranking third in teen pregnancies and No. 1 in repeat teen pregnancies. (Apparently, Gov. Perry, your “abstinence works” policy just doesn’t, and the teen moms and their children are among those most needing public services.) This also means we need to create jobs to keep up with the growing population. And this need for jobs is further exacerbated when we realize that in the coming years fewer high school graduates will be able to afford college, since grant programs are slated for the chopping block, tossing thousands more young people into an already stressed job market. Now Gov. Rick Perry’s sort of smoke-and-mirrors budget dialogue has collapsed under the weight of an economic recession that has finally hit the floors of the Legislature, the halls of the school boards and the chambers of university regents and trustees. And since the conservatives in control aren’t likely to pass budget increases, dramatic cuts are the only way to fill the $15 to $25 billion budget deficit. And remember this comes at a time when Texas already is stingy among those most needy in the state and at a time when public education here is funded near the bottom in spending per pupil, when Texas literacy ranks 47th in the nation, 49th in verbal SAT scores and 46th in math. It comes at a time when Texas leads the nation in the percentage of residents without health insurance. Earlier this month, The Houston Chronicle published an opinion piece by former First Lady Barbara Bush in which she asked, “In light of these statistics, can we afford to cut the number of teachers, increase class sizes, eliminate scholarships for underprivileged students and close several community colleges'” Really, no one should be surprised about what has happened. After the Legislature in 2006 passed tax reform, saving homeowners money while shifting the burden to cigarette and business franchise taxes, neither of which produced “new” dollars but simply shifted them from property taxes. That move also froze school tax rates, mandated $2,000 pay increases for teachers, something they sorely deserved but which perhaps we couldn’t afford. As Gov. Perry continues to reject the federal $830 million in aid to public education because he refuses to commit to use it for the purpose intended, thousands of educators are facing lay-offs and class sizes are increasing in schools throughout the state. Some schools, even brand new ones, are being shuttered, and some community colleges are slated for closure. What will the future hold when we have an under-educated, unemployed workforce in the fastest growing state in the country and with only a very limited safety net of public services for those most in need' Kate McCarty 621 W. San Antonio St. San Marcos Katemc63@gmail.com 512-497-0077 Editor: I know this may be too long. Feel free to edit! Thanks for considering