Explainer: What is happening with Texas public schools and why should you care?

Hi all --

We need explainers. We are continually assaulted by swarms of ignorance and violence: attacks on rights, demonization of the vulnerable, outright theft, misplaced anger, denial of problems, contempt for victims, etc. Simply trying to know events often results in a jumbled blur. Quick guides which walk us through an issue, giving us facts, perspective, and pointing to resources, are essential.

Some may be cynical about explainers. You might ask if this is too close to the infamous "fact-checking" of major media organizations. Not calling out a lie in real time and pushing back, but instead finding ways to say "the Nazi guy might have a point." You can also ask if explainers convey the gravity of the situations we face. How do I convince someone that if a non-citizen is not treated with due process everyone's rights are in danger? A consciousness of what is at stake can't really develop from one page of text, can it?

So I'm partial to explainers which are longer but do the work of shutting down terrible arguments by terrible people. We know people who will say outrageous things like "the disabled are privileged" or "the homeless aren't really poor" or "if you don't work, your kids should starve." It is vital to make it clear that this combination of cruelty, debate skills imported from First Take, and violent ignorance is unacceptable. Explainers should empower their reader to combat angry, paranoid losers who will say anything to demoralize others.

With that in mind, below I've written an explainer regarding public schools in Texas. It is very important to keep those with big opinions but few real facts about public education from attacking the future of the country. I hope this can help with misconceptions about public school generally.

Explainer: What is happening with Texas public schools and why should you care?

• The short version: politicians say students are floating in pools of cash and therefore it wouldn't hurt to take money out of funds designated for public schools and let them be used for private schools (this is what "vouchers" and "school choice" refer to). You need to know that many public schools in Texas are in extreme disrepair and further cuts will cause more injury.
• Why should you care? You're being lied to about the future. You're also being told you care about nothing other than your own money. That you can be manipulated into opposing anything if it is packaged as saving money.

Governor Greg Abbott of Texas claims "public education funding is at an all-time high. Funding per student is at an all-time high." Republicans in Texas say "school districts receive more than $15,000 for each student."

However, that number is highly misleading. Per the Texas Tribune:

...the $15,000 does not fully reflect the dollars districts receive from the state to serve students, according to a Texas Tribune analysis. It includes federal pandemic relief funds that have largely expired and money that districts cannot spend. Adjusted for inflation, per-student funding overall has actually declined in recent years.

The $15,000 includes pandemic funding which is not being paid anymore. In other words, politicians are counting money that does not exist. Moreover, they are including as spending-per-pupil "money that [school] districts cannot spend." The truth is that Texas, a state which, if a country, would be the world's 8th largest economy on Earth, spends less on its students than it did in previous years. (all above quotes: Texas Tribune)

OK, you say. How is this impacting schools? You might think there's still plenty of money even if the government is lying. Well, just last year, the El Paso Independent School District decided to close 8 elementary schools in order to make ends meet. While an enrollment decline was cited as a reason, a 20 million dollar budget deficit seems to have been a not-insignificant factor. In this article from January, you can read about how an elementary school in Travis County not only was closed due to lower enrollment, but also how a district-wide Spanish immersion program was canceled and work hours for staff increased.

When schools aren't closed, the buildings are collapsing. I taught in south and west Dallas from 2019-2022. Then, the facilities were dilapidated and in need of far more than repair. It was very clear that equal opportunity was a completely forgotten concept. The city and state were not subtle in what they implied about their poorer residents. Where I am in Texas now, overcrowded classrooms, inconsistent air conditioning (I live in the desert), broken plumbing, and roof repair require urgent attention. Of course there are teacher and staffing shortages, as well as a lack of necessary programming. I can tell you about a public school or two that do not even offer sports.

You can go find the one school that is upgrading its facilities. School funding in Texas is wildly unequal, with some of the richest districts withholding money they are legally required to share with poorer ones. And, in fact, politicians want you to focus on rich schools just like they want you to think that Harvard is the only university. When you focus on privileged schools and universities, you don't pay attention to how your local school has nearly undrinkable water. Or how your public university doesn't have enough faculty to offer all the classes required for graduation.

Again, none of us have to live like this! Texas has a GDP of 2.7 trillion. An economy larger than either Russia or South Korea. It is a choice to allow the rich to get richer and let everyone else eat freedom. That brings me to my last question: Why should you care? My answer nowadays is this. You're not a smarter, better, wiser, or more prudent person for saying you don't care. You don't survive by stuffing every cent into your mattress. Real survival entails winning trust, making good friends, and standing for something others can believe in. You can be an advocate for children and the future. To illustrate: some can only see others as a potential waste of their money. In turn, they're seen as wasting everyone's time. But if you fight for others, people will fight for you. Life won't be perfect, but you will never be alone.