Texas
Related: About this forumHome Rule Charter School District in Dallas, TX
Is anyone paying attention to this? If not, you probably should be if you are pro public education in Texas. Under a Home Rule Charter School District teachers, students, parents/taxpayers could lose their rights to due process, voters rights to elect board members, and these are just a FEW of the changes that could be made if this goes through... The group that elicited this law by a Republican lawmaker has a major donor, John Arnold of Houston, TX (and a former Enron hedge funder), along with other big business corporatists like Todd Williams, and Bill Gates, that are backing this takeover. But, we have a lot of civil rights and other grassroots organizations, and unions watching and coming together to help us fight this takeover to privatize our public school system. I have a sneaking suspension that other states are watching to see how this turns out. Any thoughts...
http://educationblog.dallasnews.com/tag/home-rule-charter-district/
TexasTowelie
(111,282 posts)I believe that they can be located by searching "Dallas ISD" or "home rule". I can recall at least one thread by DhhD on this topic.
Thus far, this seems to be more of a local issue which is why it hasn't received a significant amount of attention. However, I agree that this issue has the potential to escalate based upon what happens in the Dallas ISD.
DhhD
(4,695 posts)at the DISD Administration Office offering to sit on various Committees to strengthen their children's neighborhood schools as they have some control over the situation where the Texas Education Codes/Laws are still in effect. Parents have NO say when Profiteers are working child, in a private business, for profit.
Teddy Tea Cruz is both anti federal and STATE government; anti public education, anti Constitution and Bill of Rights; Tea wants a theology ignoring the separation of Churh and State or Faith and Law, in my opinion. The Tea Platform wants to completely remove the Voting Rights Act; so that once again only males with property and means, can vote.
Please look into the TX GOP Platform just announced at the Fort Worth Convention Center last week.
Texas Towlie has posted some of the TX GOP Platform from what I believe has aspects of the Battleground Texas findings. Please look for that on the recent Texas Group Board.
Texans need to wake up. It is slipping away. Hope we can hear from Battleground Texas findings about the results of the new Teaology Party/GOP Platform.
Our children and the future are at stake.
TexasTowelie
(111,282 posts)I yield to your expertise in this area since I don't have any children and only have a generalized view regarding public education issues.
My interest tends more towards higher education since I still have the pipe dream of returning to that setting. With that remark and with my username it seems only fitting to end my post with a .
kjackson227
(2,166 posts)...about there being no accountability to the taxpayers or parents if this passes. Unfortunately, this group that has initiated the idea of Home Rule Charter Districts caught the parents/taxpayers sleeping because we are not as involved as we should be in our school system. Not to mention the fact that DISD students aren't doing well academically with all of the state tests that are given in competition for the "race to the top" federal money. My surprise in all of this is that both Dems and Repugs are working TOGETHER in this road to privatization of our public schools. One member of the NEA personally told me that this takeover has been in the works for at least three (3) years. I knew there was something strange when a well-known former Dallas Cowboy quarterback who is a Republican threw his strong endorsement behind the Democratic mayoral candidate, Rawlings. Mayor Rawlings (who is "Pro" HRCD would have the power to appoint board members if HRCD is passed), helped bring in Mike Miles as the DISD superintendent from Colorado, and Miles' failed policies have wreaked havoc on DISD ever since. We are losing devoted/tenured teachers at an alarming rate because they are being blamed and fired because the kids aren't passing these HUMONGOUS amounts of tests. Were these people brought in to sabotage the DISD system, or is this just a conspiracy theory? Could be a conspiracy theory, but I don't think so. One board member who initiated the Home Rule District for DISD (without the approval of his fellow board members), is also making school program changes (IB?) for certain areas of town without consulting his fellow colleagues for a vote. These programs that were approved and implemented will help this particular area improve academics, but another similar initiative was "doa" for the schools in a less prominent area. He, Rawlings and Todd Williams are all in cahoots together. It's a mess here in Dallas, so this is just a warning to everyone. Parents, become involved in your children's academics, and in your public school system. Vote in school board elections, and volunteer (when possible) at your neighborhood schools. Don't get caught sleeping at the wheel like we did.
kjackson227
(2,166 posts)... it's not only a local issue. I think the takeover has weaseled it's way into Louisiana, and one or two other states up north.
DhhD
(4,695 posts)Checkout the fascist ties to the political, social, economical, education, and healthcare of the South on the Louisiana Group board of US Places (see side of this page).
DhhD
(4,695 posts)I didn't know about Vitter, but I do know about the Kochs and ALEC's involvement in this.
TexasTowelie
(111,282 posts)Each state has its own laws and issues and I know that Louisiana is being transformed under Piyush's dictatorship. However, I believe those changes are happening at a state level rather than at an individual school district level like is occurring at Dallas ISD.
kjackson227
(2,166 posts)but, I also think they are working towards the same goal- to privatize the school system, bust up unions, and do away with pensions and teacher contracts.