Aug. 23, 2024: We know who’s to blame

Publish Date: August 26, 2024 5:13 pm
Author: Texas AFT


Header reads: Texas A-F-T. The Hotline.

Friday, August 23, 2024






We know who’s to blame 

Gov. Greg Abbott was quick to crow this week about the Texas economy, now the eighth largest in the entire world. On social media, he called the state the “economic envy” of the world.  

That’s nice, governor. But perhaps you should read some of the other headlines from Texas this month, as over 5 million students return to the public schools you’ve deliberately underfunded.  

You remember them, right? The schools with HVAC systems so old they can’t handle the Texas summer heat. The schools where parents are sending their children in taxis because districts’ deficit budgets forced them to cut bus routes. The schools where a student died this month on a campus with a broken defibrillator.  

Our kids sure feel welcomed back to school. Our educators too. Are you going to explain to them why the eighth-largest economy in the world is sitting on $4 billion intended for its public schools? Or should we? 


In this week’s Hotline:  

  • The Democratic National Convention this week held several important moments for educators.  
  • Parents of the accused 2018 Santa Fe High School shooter were found not negligent in a civil trial.  
  • In the House District 112 race, we have the chance to win another anti-voucher vote.
  • Join us at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin next month! 



— Election

Image reads: Never underestimate a public school teacher.


Educators at the Democratic National Convention: Is hope making a comeback?

After years of listening to Gov. Greg Abbott and former President Donald Trump paint Texas and America as a wasteland devoid of hope — a state and country that had already achieved the best we could ever accomplish — the Democratic National Convention this week offered a distinct vibe shift.  

 

Hundreds of educators — at least 120 of them AFT members — were delegates to the meeting in Chicago where Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a former high school teacher and coach, officially accepted their party’s nominations to be the next president and vice president of the United States. 


— Gun Violence


Parents of Santa Fe School Shooter Found Not Negligent in Civil Trial 

On Aug. 19, following a three-week civil trial, the parents of the accused shooter in the 2018 school shooting at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas, were found not financially liable for the deaths of 10 people, including eight students and two teachers.  

The lawsuit alleged the parents, Antonios Pagourtzis and Rose Marie Kosmetatos, failed to provide necessary support for their son’s mental health and did not do enough to prevent him from accessing their guns.  


— Event




The Texas Tribune has big things planned for you at TribFest 

Texas AFT is a proud sponsor of this year’s Texas Tribune Festival, Texas’ breakout politics and policy event happening live and in person in the heart of downtown Austin.  

At TribFest, Sept. 5-7, you’ll hear from leaders, innovators and lawmakers who’ll give you an inside look at where we are and what’s next for Texas and the nation. Don’t miss three days of unforgettable conversations about the issues that matter to Texans at our annual celebration of big, bold ideas.  

Get tickets and join us this September. Texas Tribune members who give $50 or more get a Fest discount, access to members-only sessions and more. Discounted tickets are also available for educators, students, and government and nonprofit employees!  


— Election

Election 2024 Spotlight: Winning Back an Anti-Voucher Vote in HD 112 



Without new leadership that makes public education a real priority, we cannot build the future we want to see: one with public schools funded and supported to thrive.

The fight for that future continues this November. One of the key races we’re watching in Texas is in House District 112, encompassing a large swath of the Dallas suburbs.  

Averie Bishop, the first Asian American to be crowned Miss Texas, has earned Texas AFT COPE’s endorsement as she challenges state Rep. Angie Chen Button (R-Richardson).


As The Texas Tribune reported this month, the race is historic; it is a painfully rare contest between two Asian American candidates. 

The contest also showcases a distinct divide between the two candidates’ vision for a Texas that thrives. 


— Discrimination




Image Credit: ACLU Texas

ACLU Launches Student Rights Hub Amid Rising Discriminatory Policies in Texas Schools

As Texas students return to classrooms, they face an education system increasingly shaped by discriminatory policies. From punitive dress codes that violate the state’s CROWN Act to gender identity policies that out students to their parents without their consent, these measures are more than just rules — they’re barriers that make schools hostile and unwelcoming to our students. 

 

In response, the ACLU of Texas has launched a newly updated Students’ Rights Hub designed to equip students, families, educators, and advocates with the knowledge and tools to fight back. 


— Privatization




We May Have Setbacks in Texas, But We Can Fight Charter Schools Federally 

As the State Board of Education continues to approve new charter schools and the Texas Legislature abdicates its responsibility to fully fund a free public education, national Democrats are taking action to hold charter schools accountable. 

 

Last month, Rep. Rosa DeLauro introduced the Championing Honest and Responsible Transparency in Education Reform (CHARTER) Act. This legislation would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to ensure that federal funds available through those acts cannot be awarded to charter schools that enter contracts with a for-profit entity for operating, overseeing, or managing their schools. 



— Horace Mann




Horace Mann is giving away $50,000 in prizes to help you get Set for Success for another school year! 


Horace Mann is a long-time corporate supporter. Enter their sweepstakes for your chance to be one of 100 lucky winners who will take home a $250* gift card to either Target or Amazon. And if you win a gift card, your school could be one of 25 schools that wins a new-school-year celebration worth up to $1,000! Horace Mann will announce individual winners every Friday during the sweepstakes, and the winning schools will be announced on Friday, Sept. 6.  

 

Enter here for your chance to win! 


No purchase, renewal or quote is necessary to enter or win. Must be at least 18 years of age to enter. Not valid in Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, West Virginia, Wyoming and where otherwise prohibited by law. See Official Rules for full details. *Entrants living in or a resident of Georgia, New Mexico, Nevada, and Washington are only eligible for a $100 gift card. 

  

EMI-00402 (July 24) 



Recommended Reading

Texas education news from around the state that’s worth your time.

Back to School and Back to War. Many parents and teachers around Texas were angry this week as kids returned to school at the very same time that the future of education in this state was once again up for debate at the Capitol in Austin. (Texas Take, Aug. 16)  

 

Why do we expect teachers to spend $800 stocking up their classroom? For too long we’ve relied on the generosity of passionate teachers to maintain our kids’ quality education. It’s time state lawmakers do their job and fulfill Texas teachers’ ultimate wish list. (Houston Chronicle, Aug. 16)  

 

Who Wrote Texas’s Million Dollar, Bible-Infused Curriculum? The State Won’t Say. Almost three months after Texas sparked a firestorm of criticism for a new curriculum heavily infused with Bible lessons, state education officials still won’t say who authored the material or how much they were paid. And because of the pandemic, they say they don’t have to. (The 74, Aug. 15)  



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