Problems with the Texas Technology Funding Program

Texas Technology Funding Program

Let me see if I have this right: Republicans go after Democrats for investing in private companies but when Republicans do the same thing it’s okay?  The Dallas Morning News, on July 25, 2014, ran a story questioning the effectiveness of the technology fund in Texas and the problems associated with it.  It seems that investing money in start-up operations is a risky business – who knew?  Who decided that was an appropriate use of the taxpayers’ money?  If the state’s elected politicians were experienced venture capitalists then this foray into investing might be fine.  But Texas has other, more appropriate uses for its funds, like the transportation system which has morphed into a toll-based system or education which has suffered in the budget battles of recent years.  Even the health care system in the state could be upgraded to include more of the state’s citizens and better care.

There is also the lack of oversight for the technology fund.  It appears that the upper level politicians are the ones who choose the companies that are to be invested in.  That can only lead to charges of waste, fraud, and abuse.  Who is to say the winning companies are the best ones available or just run by the friends and cronies of the state leaders?  Where is the accountability and transparency that should be there when dealing with public funds?

Maybe the state should be involved with funds like this one to help companies grow and prosper to bring more jobs and business to Texas.  But this system needs more oversight.  If the history of this program shows minimal success or loses  state money, then the program needs to be shut down and the funds moved to areas of greater need.

Fracking in Denton, Texas

To Frack or not to Frack, that is the question.  At least within Denton, Texas city limits.

Denton, Texas is dealing with the issue of oil and gas well fracking within city limits.  There was a citizen proposed ban on fracking which the city council considered during an open meeting.  They heard from the various parties about the proposed ban.  I attended this meeting and listened at the adjacent convention center due to the overflow crowd.  The result was that the council sent the proposed ban to the November elections to let the voters decide.  There was considerable debate in the format of three minute speeches by interested parties.  Here is my take on the talks and situation:

1. There are real issues concerning fracking procedures in the city limits.  Mothers reported health problems with their children during fracking operations near their homes.  After contacting the drilling companies, nothing was done to address their concerns.  Only now that action is being taken to stop the practice of fracking are the drillers now proposing to “work with the city council” to help with these health and safety concerns.

2. The industry pulled out the big guns to oppose this ban.  The council heard from geologists, state regulators, and politicians about the safety and need for fracking.  They know this is a test case in Texas.  If a town in the state bans fracking and it sticks, then other cities will follow suit and ban fracking in their jurisdiction.  That could lead to more restrictions on drilling and fracking.  They do not want these restrictions and will do whatever it takes to keep drilling.

3. One thing the drillers threatened everyone with was lawsuits to continue their fracking.  State law may supersede local ordinances in this case.  Some of the politicians spoke of the majority of rights and how drilling for oil may have precedence over other concerns.  The state of New York has shown that local governing bodies do have the right to control what goes on within their geographic area.  We will see if the same holds true in Texas if and when the ordinance is passes and is then challenged in the courts.  It may end up in the Supreme Court eventually.

My opinion: The oil industry has more than enough areas where they can drill or frack old wells.  The safety and quality of life issues are important for the citizens of Texas and the U.S.  Let’s ban fracking in the city limits and take back our cities from industry who only cares when we actually do something to protect our families and health.  Thanks for listening.

The Border Crisis

The Border Crisis

The situation at our southern borders is turning into a humanitarian crisis.  Children are streaming to our border seeking compassion after brutal treatment in their home country.  We should be assisting these kids as much as possible as we seek a more permanent solution to the problem.  What, exactly, is this problem?  The original countries that these children came from are in turmoil with little prospect of a peaceful future.  The risk of staying in their home countries is greater than traveling across unknown territory to the U.S.  The reasons are many and will need to be addressed in many areas over a period of time.

Here are some suggestions for improving the situation:

1.  Find places for these children to stay temporarily until long-term solutions can be worked out.  If the kids are to be shipped back to their country of origin quickly, then the laws of the U.S. will need to be modified since there are current provisions to provide legal safeguards protecting those who are fleeing certain situations.

2.  Eventually, we will need to deal with all who are here illegally.  Supposedly, we dealt with this in the 1980’s but things have fallen through and we now need to deal with it again.  Compassion and respect for the rule of law need to be balanced in the proposed solution.

            3.   Hopefully, the different factions of our split government can agree on some common ground in this mess.  Compromises need to be proposed and accepted by all parties involved.  There should be middle ground where acceptable solutions can be found.

              4.   Solutions should also include assistance to the countries of origin.  If the economic, safety, and cultural situations in the original countries are addressed and improved, there will be less incentive for people, adults and children alike, to brave the difficult journey in search of a better life.  This holds for the rest of the world as well.

       5.This problem did not surface overnight.  It was not caused by any one party, all concerned citizens and leaders have been involved with this for some time.  It will take effort and time to approach this multi-layered situation with compassion and problem-solving techniques for the highest quality solutions.  May the force be with us.

Age Discrimination of Teachers

Age Discrimination of Teachers

Tony Danza’s book, I’d Like to Apologize to Every Teacher I Ever Had, shows that there are discriminatory policies in the retirement policies of Philadelphia, and most likely Pennsylvania, schools.  When teachers stay beyond a fixed amount of time, then they are penalized on their pensions.  When teachers lose pension money like this, then that is a major flaw in the system.  Experienced teachers are the ones who make the education system work efficiently.  They help train new teachers and show students how to be successful.  Pushing them out in their prime years to let young, inexperienced, and lower-cost teachers take over is hurting students and putting undue stress on the system.  Conservatives blame unions for messing up the system while money seems to be more of a driving force.  Even in Texas where I live and work, there is a bias against older teachers mainly due to the extra amount of money they earn with their years of service.  Getting rid of your Rocks of Gibraltars, your experienced teachers, will only hurt the system and short change students who will miss out on the wealth of knowledge that has been built up through years of learning how to teach effectively.

California Teacher Unions and Recent Legal Ruling

California Teacher Unions and Recent Legal Ruling

A California court decided to change the way teachers are dismissed in three areas:

1.     Ending of the process of laying off teachers that relies only on seniority,

2.     Taking away extra job safeguards that are not available to other school and state employees, and

3.     Eliminating the tenure process as it now exists; this process starts at 18 months when teachers are either terminated or become tenured with strong job security.

The present system has been in place with the passage of state laws and the negotiation of union contracts.  For reasons that only this particular judge can explain, he has changed the process used in California schools.  It sounds like there has already been a procedure in place to eliminate of sub-standard teachers.  It may be a complicated and long process but that can be a good thing.  There are times when teachers need protection from over-zealous administrators who want to do away with teachers who do not agree with them in any number of areas.  If you have ever faced down administrators, as I have as a high school teacher, you know that it is good to have help in your corner.  Taking away rights is not the way to a better education system in this country.

Dallas ISD Home Rule Initiative - Some Thoughts

Texas – Dallas ISD Home Rule Initiative

Why is Dallas trying to go the charter school/district route?  The given reasons from the groups trying to do this are to get around some of the state regulations that supposedly inhibit learning and teaching in the district.  This option was included in state regulations to give districts the chance to go the charter school route.  There are a series of steps to follow to use this method and because of that this option has not been tried in Texas.  So Dallas leaders are trying a grand experiment.  But is it really an experiment or rather a way to take over the district for their own reasons?

The district has a large budget, approximately $ 1.5 billion.  They also have a large number of teachers and personnel, around 10,000 teachers and 10,000 support personnel.  What will happen to all these real people?  My guess is that there will be a reduction in personnel in the district with a proportionate decrease in expenses.  Plus, many experienced teachers will either leave or retire which is probably one of the goals of this experiment.  The local teacher unions, really associations since Texas is a right-to-work state with no contracts between districts and unions, have gone to court to slow this process down.

Who will control all these funds currently used for the district?  What expenses will be cut so other projects can be implemented?  Who will make decisions concerning the budget and personnel?  These are all questions that need to be addressed before this really big change is undertaken in Dallas.

Dallas ISD New Teacher Evaluation - Survey Part - A Thought

Submitted to Dallas Morning News for Letter to the Editor consideration:

"Let me see if I have this correct.  Teachers in Dallas ISD will now be graded by evaluations, test scores, and student surveys?  Surveys, really?  If you have had the opportunity to parent teenagers, how do you think you would be rated by your kids as a parent?  If you scored better than 50 %, then you are probably not doing your job correctly.  But we want to put the careers and pay grades of teachers in the hands of adolescents through these surveys?  Be afraid, high school teachers, be very afraid.  Maybe the surveys can be used collectively to measure how different methods work but to base important decisions concerning careers on these surveys is just wrong.  And speaking of surveys, how would the superintendent, Mr. Miles, an Army veteran, like to have his troops rate his leadership of their unit?  Officers, like teachers, must sometimes make tough decisions concerning their charges.  And not all of those decisions will be applauded by the governed."

I believe that Dallas ISD is trying to do some kind of clean-out of teachers in the district.  Not only are they doing this Home Rule push but they are disrupting the normal business of teaching in a very radical way.