Jonathon Foster
“Statewide school finance lawsuit set to resume in 2014”
By John Rigg on November 7, 2013 in Community Impact Newspaper
An old lawsuit, Fort Bend ISD vs the State of TX, is being reopened. Back in 2011 $5.4 billion was cut from the state’s education fund. The fallout from the cuts included a large number of layoffs, 500 employees in FBISD, and countless others across the state. The following year the state was able to restore some of the previous losses. The 2012 budget increased by $3.4 billion; however, it wasn’t enough to bring the budget back to par prior to the cuts. Therefore a coalition between FBISD and several other districts are revisiting the old lawsuit in an effort to right this wrong.
It baffles me that education funding continues to fall short of the needs of every school district. Taxes rates are constantly increased. Texas continues to find new ways to generate revenue, such as natural gas drilling and toll roads. According to the article, the population of students increases about 80,000 children every year. Yet funding keeps getting cut instead of increased. The stereotype that Texans are dumb rednecks may become a reality over the next few generations with the constant de-emphasis on education and its needed funding. I look to the north and do not see the same concerns as widely spread as it exists in Texas. It’s no wonder the New England states continue to score higher than southern states on various testing. It’s a sad day for me as a future educator and a Texan.
“American Humanists Target Birdville ISD for Suspending Student Who Tore Pages From a Bible”
By Eric Nicholson on November 1, 2013 in Edumincation News
An openly gay Christian student was being bullied by other students for his sexual preferences as it relates to religion. The proclaimed that he would go to hell for the sins of homosexuality. According to the article the student attempted to convert an experience of bullying into a conversation...