Good morning–

“The philosophy of the classroom in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” That quote is often misattributed to Abraham Lincoln, but the sentiment is correct.

Today's Texas Minute ends with a couple items on public education, which should be cause for concern today… and what it means for the next generation.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

Thursday, December 2, 2021

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The Shape Of Senate Races Continuing a series looking at the state of play in Texas’ coming primary elections, Jeramy Kitchen reviews [[link removed]] three of the marquee Senate matchups.

Less than two weeks remain for candidates to file for elected positions up and down the ballot as part of the 2022 primary and general election cycles. Denying Access To Nursing Home Residents? Despite a new constitutional amendment and legislation, some nursing facilities are still denying access to patients’ loved ones. Sydnie Henry has the story [[link removed]].

The founder of Texas Caregivers for Compromise, Mary Nichols, says it could just be a lack of information on the part of the facilities. According to Nichols, the first thing anyone should do if they run up against a facility denying rightful entry is to contact the Texas Long Term Care Ombudsman Program [[link removed]]. “The ombudsman is a mediator, they have good rapport with the facilities here in Texas, and they know the guidelines and they usually can help resolve these things.” Hines: No Jab, No Job? No Thanks. Geneva Hines explains [[link removed]] why she is giving up her career.

“I could have made the decision to keep my career and my job, and to get the jab in order to protect both, but where will it end? How many boosters are going to be required to be considered fully vaccinated?” – Geneva Hines [[link removed]] Waller Parents Urge Others To Get Involved Last month, parents in the Waller Independent School District confronted [[link removed]] the school board regarding pornographic books in the school library that depicted domestic and sexual violence. As Sydnie Henry reports [[link removed]], Waller ISD’s school board and superintendent responded by removing the books and beginning a separate auditing process to approve books for the library that will ensure age-appropriate materials in the future.

Now, those parents are encouraging more people to be involved – because the library books were just a symptom of a bigger problem.

“We hope that we can get people involved and create an awareness that … hey, look at the books, these are shocking, but look at what else is going on around us,” said Josh Posey, one of the parents who sparked the discussion in Waller ISD. “Our test scores are failing. Our education system here in the county is not doing so well. And we’re being taxed like we’re a ginormous district. Something is out of balance here.”

Posey and a local citizen group known as the Waller County Patriots hope “that as we start to realize that we can teach other people in our community what their role is for keeping a check on these these things—like the school district—we can inspire people to step up and take action and stop being homebodies and letting things run out of control.” Haynes: Public Schools Practice Medicine Without a License In a new commentary, education policy analyst Carole Hornsby Haynes finds [[link removed]] that many parents are unaware their children are being psychologically assessed by schools, with the kids’ personal data stored permanently and shared with third parties.

“Social emotional learning was originally billed as support to help children with self-management and making personal decisions, the same life skills that good teachers have been trying to instill since colonial days,” writes Haynes [[link removed]]. Now, however, “Companies providing ancillary services for SEL purveyors collect data and provide apps for classroom mental assessments on children… Yet this mental assessment is being given to students by teachers who are not trained as therapists and counselors.”

Simply telling parents they can “opt out” isn’t good enough; public schools simply should not be doing this. Friday Preview… I asked Chris Hopper [[link removed]] at the new Texas operations of the American Principles Project [[link removed]] to review my Friday Reflection coming out tomorrow; the topic is the growing cowardice in America’s pulpits – spiritual and physical.

He responded: “What is worse, a wolf in sheep’s clothing or a wolf in shepherd's clothing?” Excellent point.

Texas Scorecard is committed to exposing abuses in public schools and all levels of government. With your continued financial support, we are able to do more!

🔒 Donate to Texas Scorecard 🔒 [[link removed]] Number of the Day

2.2%

The percentage by which student enrollment dropped in Texas’ public schools between the 2019-‘20 and 2020-‘21 academic years.

[Source: Texas Education Agency [[link removed]]]

Quote-Unquote

“The most urgent necessity is, not that the State should teach, but that it should allow education. All monopolies are detestable, but the worst of all is the monopoly of education.”

– Frédéric Bastiat​​

Today in History

It was on Dec. 2, 1777, that a nurse overheard British soldiers [[link removed]] discussing plans for a surprise attack on the Continental Army and General George Washington. Lydia Darragh passed word to American officers who were able to thwart the plan.

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Produced by Michael Quinn Sullivan and Brandon Waltens, the Texas Minute is a quick look at the news and info of the day we find interesting, and hope you do as well. It is delivered weekday mornings (though we'll take the occasional break for holidays and whatnot).

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