Special Session on School Finance...Memo to our Legislators...Cut the crap, let's fix this thing...

I have been blessed. Truly blessed to have lived in the great state of Texas for all of my thirty-three years. I was born and raised in South Texas, and lived in the PSJA area since I was four years old. I went through the PSJA School District system, and graduated in 1991, from what at the time was PSJA's only high school. It never occured to me, until these recent years, how important it is to have a good education. I remember fondly, some of the greatest teachers who served not only as educators, but mentors, counselors, and friends as well. So it comes as no surprise to me, or the people who know me closely enough, to know that what I have to say to our legislators comes straight from the heart. Cut the political crap, and let's get on with the business of making Texas the best state in the union for raising our children. Jesus, when I first started this blog in January, I knew I was going to have to deal with politics on a politicians level, but I underestimated how much most of these people actually don't give a damn about what happens to any of us. It seems to me that many of these politicians are indeed only out for themselves, or their comadres, compadres. This doesn't just apply to South Texas politics either. Take for instance, news out of Austin this week, via the San Antonio Express-News. According to the report, Governor Rick Perry and Lt. Governor David Dewhurst are at odds on what the legislators should address when the special session on school finance begins in April. Governor Perry reportedly wants to stick with the issue of property tax reform, and leave out the issues of teacher pay raises, and improving public schools. He is quoted as saying, "we can come back to the table and open up the session to the other issues". Silence...the sound of crickets chirping, and the far off howl of a coyote...Sure we'll get to it later. But later comes to late when as according to a report that was issued by Carole Keeton Strayhorn in December of 2004 entitled The Cost of Underpaying Texas Teachers she maps out just how badly our teachers are underpayed in Texas as opposed to teachers in other states. For instance, in the 2003-04 school year the average teacher salary in Texas was $40,476. Texas was ranked 32nd in the nation. The following year, 2004-05, the average teacher salary in Texas was $41,009. Texas was ranked 33rd in the nation. The increase of teachers salaries between these two school years was 1.3%. At that rate, Texas was ranked 40th in teacher pay raises in the nation. If I'm not mistaken, there are only fifty states in the union. Texas ranks second in population, and land area, behind California and Alaska respectively. How on God's green earth, does one of the largest state's in the union rank so low? The issue needs to be addressed, and it needs to be addressed as soon as possible. I'm in favor of what Lt. Governor David Dewhurst is proposing. According to the same article in the San Antonio Express-News, Dewhurst wants to put teacher pay raises in the special session. He is quoted as saying, "I think we have a window of opportunity to address not only improving our schools but lowering our school property taxes. What I worry about is that if we take the attitude of 'Let's do this sequentially' we'll never get to school reform and improving our public schools". Well, not until 2007, at least, unless there will be another pressing issue, and there always is, for our legislators to tackle. Legislators, as citizens we need you to push for these items to be put on the agenda, so that we don't lose fully qualified and talented teachers to other states, or other jobs period. All we ask is that you get to working on what's important for us. This includes taxes, pay raises for teachers, and school improvements. And if these issues need to be tackled by burning the midnight oil throughout the special session, then by all means, DO IT. That's why we elected all of you in the first place.