TX: Governor's Attack On Teachers

Governor Greg Abbott has decided that he needs to step up his attack on teachers, proposing some new rules to undercut teacher authority and autonomy, because he wants to "make clear that parents are the primary decision makers in all matters involving their children." So here comes his Parents Bill of Rights.

What does that mean, exactly?

Well, for one thing, that means jumping on the Krause List Of Naughty Books bandwagon by setting up mechanisms for banning all books with "overtly sexual" content. In fact, he's ready to see any instances of making "pornography available" in public schools referred for "prosecution to the fullest extent of the law." This all comes, of course, on top of the usual directives that students should not be subjected to anything that makes them feel discomfort-- none of that race stuff for Texas students. 

And just in case that doesn't seem hard hitting enough, Abbott wants any teacher who's caught with naughty books to be stripped of their license, lose their pension, and be placed on a do not hire list for public schools (it's not clear if this list would also apply to charter and private schools).

No word yet on whether Abbott intends to shut down the internet for all minors.

Also, in a bizarre new slant on "parental rights," Abbott wants parents to be the final arbiters of whether a child passes or fails. This is kind of nuts. "Yes, my child failed Algebra I, but I want them in Algebra II next year." Most teachers who have been in the classroom for more than ten years have probably seen this happen without the force of law (just the application of parent force on a boneless administrator), and it never ends particularly well. On the one hand, the student lacks the base necessary to succeed at the next level; on the other hand, the student now understands that passing the course is not really necessary to move forward.

And as a slab of icing on the cake, public school districts would be required to do marketing for charter schools and other "alternatives." 

Just to be sure all of these grand ideas really stick, Abbott intends to fly his ideas as a state constitutional amendment. 

None of this seems likely to help fix Texas's problem finding teachers to fill vacancies. But the target here is not helping Texas education, but in helping Abbott's reelection campaign. If he has to step on public school teachers to get back to the governor's mansion, that's apparently okay with him,