Dear Texas 2021, Your Economy is in the Ditch and Your Children are Stupid

The Houston Chronicle is right.  The Texas "budget crunch must not be allowed to penalize an entire generation of young Texans." I'm glad this drumbeat has started, because this is the reality on the ground in Texas public schools - we are not just losing tens of thousands of young teachers who are getting laid off, but we are dooming an entire generation of kids to substandard public education. Once those kids go through grade level by grade level, they can't back track and make up the gaps and regain the knowledge and skills they need for college and career. Peer into your crystal ball and envision Texas in ten years with its economy drowning in ditch water and its children in last place on every educational measure.

I agree with all of this (bolding is mine):

In a single-minded drive to balance the state budget without creating additional revenue sources, the state legislative leadership appears willing to sacrifice an entire generation of middle- and lower-income Lone Star children and young adults. 

While they justify these draconian funding cuts in essential health, education and social service programs as necessary to protect future generations, in fact they are putting present political considerations ahead of the children of today, the workers and leaders of tomorrow and the very future of Texas. 

We are compelled to speak out on behalf of those too young to participate in the debates in Austin that will impact their well-being — and ours - for decades to come. We believe the majority of Texans understand the value of healthy and well educated children, and would respond to farsighted leadership that makes children's issues the real "emergency" of the current session.

But, Houston Chronicle, we have a problem. The only way to really solve the problem is to get different people in the Legislature, and your editorial board has endorsed some of the lawmakers who are responsible for the structural deficit that has led to "these draconian funding cuts."

For example, in 2008 the Chronicle endorsed Republicans John Davis (HD129) and Dwayne Bohac (HD138).  In 2010, the Chron endorsed Bohac again, as well as Ken Legler (HD144).

Legler, in particular, has distinguished himself this session by introducing a bill to require the 100,000 teachers who get laid off to pass a drug test in order to get unemployment benefits. This is what he is worried about, instead of a strong public education system that implements a rigorous and relevant curriculum that prepares students for careers or college.

What concerns me, is that we won't be able to correct the harm this Legislature will inflict on Texas children until we vote in new Texas House and Senate members in November 2012.