Charles Foster Johnson, leader of Pastors for Texas Children, describes an effort to censor and silence those who advocate on behalf of public schools:
Texas Senate Bill 29 was roundly defeated late yesterday afternoon in
the Texas House on an 85-58 vote. The bill would have prohibited local
school districts and other local government authorities such as
counties from taxpayer-supported advocacy in the Legislature. It is a
policy designed for one purpose: to silence those defending and
protecting public education and the public good and to enable those who advocate for privatization
and for personal financial profit.
Dirty little secret? The bill exempted charter schools. The bill would
have empowered them to lobby for even more public funding– without
being hassled by traditional public school advocates.
It failed miserably. The House of Representatives is generally
pro-public education here in Texas. They have held the line against
sweeping privatization efforts. We have repudiated vouchers multiple
times over the past couple of decades, and will never have them,
precisely because these conservative public officials hold to the
principle of local control and accountability that public schools so
beautifully incarnate.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who was behind the entire push, is livid.
His project to dismantle public education and the public good in Texas
is now exposed, and is losing. He lost his cool about it at the Senate
chair last night. He is coming unraveled and his chamber is
desperately broken. Unfortunately, our Governor Greg Abbott supported
the bill also. His only concern is not allowing Patrick to
“out-rightwing” him, so his political obsession is to stake out
whatever non-existent sliver of territory there is to the right of
Patrick.
Of course, this ill-fated bill serves the opposite purpose. Pro-public
education advocates will dramatically increase next legislative
session. Our pastors are in the Capitol every day. Next session we
will have a platoon of them daily instead of two or three. We are
grateful to NPE for joining us in our fight through the perfectly
timed action alert yesterday! Legislative offices were FLOODED with
calls opposing this ridiculous bill. Our strong solidarity together got the job
done!
Pastors for Texas Children and many other groups supporting public schools joined to defeat this proposal. NPE Action contacted its allies across the state of Texas, who joined with many thousands of parents, educators and citizens to defeat this effort to censor advocates for public schools.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
If we list the names of the 58-legislatures that votes for this bill, then we are in a position to target them for defeat in the next election.
The billionaires do this with their money.
To counter the billionaires like the Waltons, gates and Koch brothers, we have to do this through grassroots efforts often door to door.
Instead of dollars, we use our feet and/or through e-mail and social media.
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I like the way you think
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Are we so far gone that we feel a need to celebrate fundamental fairness?
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Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Education and commented:
I think after the last election and the current legislative session there will be more people willing to vote little dan out of office. He is just plain bad for Texas, especially public education.
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Pastors for Texas Children and many other groups supporting public schools joined to defeat this proposal. NPE Action contacted its allies across the state of Texas, who joined with many thousands of parents, educators and citizens to defeat this effort to censor advocates for public schools.
It is great to see that NPE has the networked power to collaborate on this defeat. Batter up for the next round.
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Many thanks to Charles Foster Johnson and the Texas pastors on behalf of the children of Texas. They helped stop the preferential treatment that charters have received in many states due to pressure and money from special interest groups..
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If this bill became a law, it would have violated 1st Amendment rights.
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How many millions do taxpayers spend for the President to lobby, campaign, bully, and spew stupidity? Every one of his hundreds of golf games is government paid lobbying.
As much as he doesn’t want to admit, “he” and his office are public…. just like public schools.
As for the 58 noted above – every state has them and they are just freaking mean, hurtful people.
They don’t just want to “win” – – they want everybody else to lose.
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Lobbying for public schools means people write letters or ask to speak with representatives. Lobbying for charters equals buying politicians.
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Thank you NPE & Pastors for rallying to defeat this absurd bill. Imagine, trying to muzzle taxpayers from lobbying to see that their money is spent wisely on the public schools they support!!
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