STOP TX Soviet-Style Education Bills

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -  Nelson Mandela

Texas is moving from a free enterprise state to a centrally planned economy. This change was legislated at the federal level more than two decades ago.   

It was during the Clinton administration in the 1990s that three bills were passed to transform America from a free enterprise to a federally planned and managed economy.  This system, which adopts the failed ideas of a state planned economy similar to those of the former Soviet Union, is being implemented by the states in a three-way public/private partnership -- government, education, and business. 

One of those three laws was the School-to-Work program which is an education/business partnership that changes the purpose of public education from acquiring knowledge to supplying workers for businesses. Corporations are dictating to our schools what they want taught.

Bob Offutt, Texas State Board of Education Representative, wrote in a letter to the Texas State Senate in 1997:

“School-to-Work came to Texas like a thief in the night.  One morning parents will wake up to learn that the American Dream has been stolen from their children…unlimited educational opportunity has been replaced by limited job training options determined by regional workforce needs….”

He urged the Texas Legislature to review education reforms initiated by state agencies that “emanate from federal legislation.” 

Offutt’s prediction has become reality as Texas continues to pass laws that entangle the state ever deeper into the centrally planned economy.  A number of workforce bills have been filed during this current legislative session.

Three school-to-work bills are SB22, which has passed out of the Senate, and pending companion bills, HB1842 and HB1237.  Students decide by the end of the 8^th grade what career they want. What happens if they change their mind at age 18 or 20 or 30? Or that job disappears?

SB154 and HB1700 provide for workforce specialists to direct students to “careers with existing or projected workforce shortages” in Texas. How can a governmental agency predict what jobs will be available or what skills workers will need in the future?

HB136 adds a new mission to the Texas Education Code:  to provide workforce training in Texas public schools. Throughout the history of our nation, public education has been responsible for teaching academics to our children.  Now public education is becoming job training centers with narrowed curriculum for the career choices being decided by federal economic forecasters. With HB 136, workforce training will become an official mission of Texas public education.

Texas lawmakers are responsible for providing an academic education to prepare our young to be guardians of our Republic, not to provide job training for a socialist planned economy that always -- but always -- results in the loss of freedom of citizens.

Take Action: Let these elected officials know we want them to stop passing laws that change Texas education into job training for a socialist state.

GOVERNOR 

Governor Greg Abbott- 512-463-1778- This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick- 512-463-6054-  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

YOUR REPRESENTATIVES: http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/mnuAddress.aspx