Patrick Advisers Blast Pre-K Plans Pushed by Abbott

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's grassroots advisers are blasting Gov. Greg Abbott's plan to enhance pre-kindergarten programs, a move sure to increase tension between the top two Republican leaders.

In a letter dated Tuesday, the lieutenant governor's Grassroots Advisory Board, filled with Tea Party activists and appointed by Patrick, called House Bill 4 and Senate Bill 801 "a threat to parental rights." The bills are aimed at improving the quality of the state's pre-K programs at a cost of about $130 million over the next two years.

"We are experimenting at great cost to taxpayers with a program that removes our young people from homes and half-day religious preschools and mothers' day out programs to a Godless environment with only evidence showing absolutely NO LONG TERM BENEFITS beyond the 1st grade," the letter said.

Patrick said in an emailed statement that he had not seen the letter before it was sent and noted that he supported "a pre-K program," without giving any details about what that might look like.

Read more: http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/21/dan-patrick-advisors-blast-abbott-pre-k-plan/