Time’s wasting

A large swath of our education system is failing too many students. If public schools are not achieving appropriate standards, rather than expending energy on disagreeing with and protesting “school choice” or homeschooling, channel it toward just fixing the problem! But wait — that requires admitting there’s a problem and instigating changes. Ignoring the problem won’t make it go away.

Our education system was once the envy of the world. Sadly, over the years, expectations and standards have been lowered, while proficiency outcomes have declined. Wow, who could’ve seen that coming? Evidently no one.

If public schools were great, no one would be seeking alternatives. Truth is, far too many schools are less than adequate, and parents rightly should be all over the educational community to improve.

Throwing more money at the problem is not the answer. The solution has two parts: committed parents wanting their kids to succeed, and a far-reaching change in the culture of the educational community.

My humble advice to lawmakers, teachers and administrators is to simply admit there’s a problem, take accountability and then get to work on solving it right now. Time’s a-wastin’.

B.R. Allen, Aubrey

Violating Texas Constitution

Re: “House OKs ‘school choice’ — $1B plan allows Texans to use state dollars to fund private education,” April 18 news story.

Only those accepted by a private school can receive a voucher, so whose choice is it? The bill that passed the Texas Legislature created taxpayer-funded vouchers for private schools, even religious schools. Both points violate the Texas Constitution.

Dinah Miller, Dallas/Prestonwood

Despite constituents’ wishes

Well, the voucher bill passed, not that it was the right thing to do. It seems our elected officials no longer represent their constituents because this bill would not have passed they did.

Powerful money has infiltrated our common sense and civic duty — a governor who paid to get certain loyalists elected who he knew would pass his agenda. This was not the people’s choice. It was Big Money’s (politicians’) choice.

It should be against the law to do such a thing. In fact, I wonder if it isn’t? The Texas Constitution maintains in Article 7, Sec.1 “It shall be the duty of the Legislature of the State to establish and make suitable provision for the support and maintenance of an efficient system of public free schools.” No mention of private schools!

Also, check out Article 7, Sec. 3a, “Taxes for Benefit of Schools.” In essence, it seems to me, our Legislature has violated the state Constitution.

Now our tax dollars will give people who can well afford their children’s private education a big break while diminishing funding for public schools where the majority of children will still be attending. Our public schools have been undermined and I believe students will suffer.

Pat Reinecker, Bedford

Our better natures

Texas is headed for “school choice,” all the positives and negatives having been laid bare. Some want the nation to follow suit.

Questions: Is this not an admission by local, state and federal government of abject failure to provide adequate public education despite throwing huge amounts of public funds toward it? Is it not where the larger part of my ever-increasing property taxes go?

Has not the vaunted lottery system making a miniscule number of instant millionaires rescued public education with its promised funding? Have our public servants failed to enact relevant, viable firearms legislation to avoid turning public schools into battlegrounds with armed guards, metal detectors and security rivalling the TSA at airports?

Change is inevitable — too many of us, too many choices every moment. Entertainment and recognition are our new gods to escape reality.

All knowledge is accessible at the tap of a finger making study obsolete. Thanks to social media, whether real or fictitious, we love a good scandal and have several to choose from each day.

I realize this is a dark view but believe it factual and accurate. Hopefully, our better natures will surface and regain the soul of America.

Ted M. Moore, Dallas/Preston Hollow

Not business-friendly

April 17 will be remembered as the day the Texas Legislature decided to pull the rug out from under its public education system. The billionaires who bankrolled the vouchers campaign probably fancy themselves as business-friendly, but corporations considering a move to Texas will have a different perspective.

They will see a robust economy, rich enough to fund an innovative public education system, that has chosen instead to subsidize the parents who want out of it. They’ll recognize this as a vote of no confidence for education and a preference for indoctrination. That’s not a business-friendly strategy.

Garry Potts, Dallas

Betraying students

This letter is for Shelly Luther, District 62 representative.

The Texas Legislature, of which you are a member, is voting into law the “school choice” legislation which essentially takes money away from public schools and gives it to private schools. Public schools are the backbone of Texas, and your Legislature has gutted them.

I wrote to you on your election victory night last November. You wrote back almost immediately. I brought up school vouchers. This is when you boasted you were a public school teacher, and I felt you knew what the consequences were of such a vote.

By voting for “school choice,” you and your fellow legislators have betrayed generations of Texas students, who will have less of an educational experience than your students had when you were teaching. In reality, over the long term, there will be teacher shortages, lack of facilities and virtually no resources for students.

And the families who can already afford private schools will just have a subsidy from the state to do what they were already doing: sending their children to private school.

You have betrayed millions of Texas students. How does that feel? How does the former teacher in you feel? Will future considerations make up for it? Is it worth it?

Dwayne Wilder, Denison