Pastors for Children has never made a political endorsement before. But the stakes are so high for children, families, communities, and public schools that they could not sit on the sidelines. The Lt. Governor is a very important political position in Texas. The Pastors for Children is endorsing Mike Collier. Pastors for Children is the 501c4 arm of Pastors for Texas Children.
Collier’s opponent Dan Patrick is the current Lt. Governor. He is a strong supporter of vouchers. He was a rightwing talk show host before he ran for office.
Pastors For Children Endorses Mike Collier For Texas Lieutenant Governor
Current Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has defunded public education and allowed Texas homeowners’ property taxes to skyrocket.
Fort Worth, TX – Pastors for Children, an independent 501(C)4 organization, announced today their endorsement of Mike Collier in the race for Texas Lieutenant Governor. Along with their endorsement, they have launched a 30-second television spot focused on Tarrant County.
“Mike Collier has a proven track record as a successful Certified Public Accountant, businessman, and consultant in the Oil and Gas industry,” said Pastor Charles Foster Johnson, Executive Director of Pastors For Children. “We believe the combination of these analytical and professional skills, intelligence, and high moral character make Mike Collier the far superior choice for Lieutenant Governor.”
Mike Collier has the endorsements of well-respected members of both parties, including Republicans Sen. Kel Seliger, Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley, State Rep. Lyle Larson, former Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff, former State Rep. Byron Cook, former State Rep. Bennett Ratliff, and former Dallas Mayor and US Congressman Steve Bartlett. He also has the endorsement of Pastors For Children’s close allies in education, the Association of Texas Professional Educators, the Friends of Texas Public Schools, the Texas State Teachers Association, and the Texas AFT.
“The bipartisan support for Collier is evidence of his appeal as a candidate to folks in urban and rural counties, who want to see the polarization of the Texas Legislature stop and return to getting things done for the people of Texas,” said Pastor Johnson. “Mike Collier is the best candidate to make that happen. It is time for the voters of Texas – Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, to send Dan Patrick into retirement.”
Mike Collier will focus on keeping our Texas school-children safe, providing adequate funding for our public schools, and returning good policy and competence to the office of Lt. Governor. For these reasons, Pastors for Children is proud to endorse Mike Collier for Lt. Governor.
Pastors for Children is a nationwide network of faith leaders and community partners dedicated to school service and fair and equitable public school funding
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Talk about the slightly lesser of two evils! An oil and gas guy endorsed by religious guys. Welcome to today’s America.
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The current Lt. Governor is the Rush Limbaugh of Texas. Collier is NOT the lesser of two evils. He’s a good guy running against Lt. Gov. Evil.
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I agree. Dan Patrick is the most destructive public figure hardly anyone has heard of. Abbott, Cruz and the various kooks in his state serve as cover for Patrick to manipulate the actual mechanisms of Texas state politics while few pay attention or understand the process.
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I don’t argue with the clarity of the choice, but it is still unsettling that an oil and gas guy is good news.
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Compared to DannPatrick, Collier is excellent.
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In Texas, the Lt Gov is as powerful as the Gov and Dan Patrick is a voucher fanatic.
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key understanding: this is actually symbolic for many states
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We still need oil and gas for a few more decades during the transition to green energy. And not all management in the oil and gas are corrupt just like not all Republicans or Democrats are corrupt.
Do not tar and feather someone just because they work in the oil and gas industry. Find out who that person is first. Who they are is not where they work, or what they say. Who there are is how they live their life.
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This endorsement is a blatant attempt to turn the U.S. into a right-wing theocracy. Come on, man: SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE!!! The Kochs, conservative evangelicals, and evil Catholics want to take our freedoms away. Don’t let them get away with it.
-Linda
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That’s silly, Linda. The Pastors are strong believers in separation of church and state, as is Collier. Collier’s opponent Dan Patrick wants the state to fund religious schools. Collier opposes public funding of religious schools.
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Separation of church and state has nothing to do with endorsements. The 1st Amendment gives everyone free speech and an endorsement is expressing an opinion, a recommendation.
Also, there isn’t any language in the US Constitution that says we have to separate church and state. Individuals that wrote the US Constitution expressed that they thought we should keep the state and church separate, and I happen to agree with them, but that doesn’t change the fact that the US Constitution doesn’t mention separation of church and state. I have also read that although the words “separation of church and state” do not appear in the First Amendment, the establishment clause was intended to separate church from state.
Since the specific language, separation of church and state, was not mentioned, that gives the fundamentalist idiots the wedge to argue.
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The Constutution specifically says that Congress will establish no religion, which is usually understood to mean “no public funding for religious institutions.” The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion.
The new Trump SCOTUS insists that freedom of religion allows funding of religion as well as freedom to discriminate against others.
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The church has the right to petition, campaign for, and even run for office in the state, but the state has no right to support the church. Pastors for Children, free to exercise its First Amendment rights, is righteous with this endorsement. Amen, Pastors.
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Voting generally requires compromise. As far as the oil and gas industry goes, we all still depend on it. It remains a legal way to earn a living, even if we dislike it. Anyone that supports separation of church and state and public funds for public institutions is far better than divisive Dan Patrick, a serial liar and trouble maker.
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No matter what is
“usually understood to mean”
we are governed by the
consent of the scotus.
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Thank you, Diane, Lloyd, and others for coming to our defense. I understand that many readers may feel any religious voice FOR public education may be in a narrow parochial and proselytizing interest instead of the public interest, but our 10 year track record in support of church/state separation is crystal clear for all to see. http://www.pastorsfortexaschildren.com
Mike Collier has a proven record of integrity and honesty. His opponent, Dan Patrick, does not. We are honored to endorse Mr. Collier.
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The Pastors’ endorsement is good enough for me until proven otherwise. Don’t really expect that “proof” anytime soon. Plus, you don’t have to make a Faustian bargain to understand that Dan Patrick is always on the wrong side.
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The readers of this blog have grown suspicious that money is behind everything. They are usually right.
In the case of Pastors for Children, the motivation for your work is to stop privatization, to end the underfunding of schools, and to limit access to guns.
Thank you for your good work.
Diane
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You are so right in your observation about money motivating education policy–especially down here in Texas where money flows with oil. The charter school people– often Democrats, by the way– are contributing huge sums to the campaigns of far rightwing Republicans in this election. Not because they agree with them on anything but making commodities of our kids.
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