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Tuesday, April 10, 2012

In Texas, a GOP War on Education

What happens in a state controlled and dominated by Republicans? In particular how do they deal with budget deficits? Do they raise taxes? Of course not. What they do is literally starve public schools of funding. This year the Texas Legislature cut $5.4 Billion dollars (via the New York Times) from the state's budget previously dedicated to public schools. Those budget cuts went into effect this year and will continue next year.

Texas has 1,264 public school districts. Here are some of the consequences of preserving tax cuts for corporations and the uber-rich, and passing the cost of balancing budgets onto the backs' of Texas' public school children and their families according to the NY Times report:
  • Eliminating bus services: Many districts, to save money have simply stopped providing bus services to children who live within a two mile radius of their school. For many children this means that they spend up to an hour or more walking to and from school each day. Other school districts have started charging parents a fee (up to $355 per year for one district) for children who are bused. Others now sell advertising space on the side of school buses.  READ MORE

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