Cutting education only makes matters worse

Continuing our discussion of human rights in Texas is the topic of the Texas public education system. Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:

• (1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
• (2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
• (3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

 With the current budget crisis that the state is in, over $4 billion is being cut from the education budget resulting in thousands of job losses. In Austin ISD 800 teaching contracts will not be renewed for the 2011-2012 academic year. Less teachers does not mean less students; class sizes will expand and schools that are currently working at capacity will be forced to find room for students that were attending schools that were closed. Its important that legislators and superintendents remember that each of those numbers represents a child that has a future of their own and cutting costs to fit within a budget is severely jeopardizing their potential.

 On April 1, 2011 House Bill 275 was passed in the Texas House of Representatives. This bill provides $3.1 billion from the Rainy Day Fund and $300 million sales tax revenue to help alleviate the stress of the budget deficit. Unfortunately, this only softens the blow to our education system. Cuts will still be made and children's education will still suffer. 

Appropriations Committee member Mike Villarreal, a Democrat, said that without using the rainy day fund for 2012-2013, the state budget will lead to closing nursing homes, firing teachers and packing more children into classrooms. "The governor doesn't mind using the fund to avoid the embarrassment of not paying our bills for the next five months, but he refuses to use a single dime from the fund to limit the damage to our children's schools," Villarreal said.

F. Scott McCown, contributor to the Austin Statesman is appalled by the state's efforts to reduce spending by cutting education. "Governor Perry has things backwards. Texans aren't supposed to protect the Rainy Day Fund. The Rainy Day Fund is supposed to protect Texans," McCown said. "Voters created the Rainy Day Fund by constitutional amendment in 1988 to offset unforeseen falls in state revenue just like the state faces in 2012-13. The Legislature and Governor should use the Rainy Day Fund to bridge the revenue hole created by the Great Recession."

 If the state determines a way to continue funding education at its current levels it still isn't providing an adequate education for our children. A comparison by the National Education Association shows Texas spent an average of $9,227 per student in the 2009-10 school year, placing it $1,359 below the national average. This figure puts Texas in 37^th place for school funding, compared to other states and the District of Columbia. It also represents a significant slip from ten years ago, when Texas ranked 25th in the U.S. and was only $281 below the national average in per-pupil spending. In other rankings for recent years, Texas has placed as low as 43rd or, with the inclusion of capital costs, as high as 36th. But by any measure, we’re well behind the majority of U.S. states in per-student funding.

Texas Education Agency submitted a legislative brief to the legislature on December 1, 2010 evaluating the college readiness of Texas public schools and proposes the Success Strategic Action Plan. To look at the results that TEA found, check out Legislative Progress Report on P-16 College Readiness and Success Plan

Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) is a think tank that focuses on areas in Texas state policies. In March 2001 they published "Budget Solution$: Closing Texas' Budget Shortfall" and included a section on how they proposed the state should cut education to fit the budget needs with having as little impact on the students as possible. Some proposals included reducing funds to Texas Education Agency ($6.6 billion), eliminating Regional Education Service Centers ($42.75 million), eliminating pre-kindergarten programs ($208.6 million), reducing contribution to teachers' pension to the minimum 6 percent ($200 million) and reductions to higher education ($2.03 billion).

The largest cut that the TPPF proposes is the way we pay our teachers. They suggest that we remove the teacher salary schedule and restrictions on hiring and firing teachers. Currently, teachers are rewarded increased salaries based on the amount of time they have been teaching regardless of performance. Also the process of removing an ineffective teacher is almost impossible. By removing these regulations, TPPF suggests that teachers will be rewarded for performance and this will allow for fewer, more qualified, and better paid teachers. Class sizes would increase from 22:1 to 25:1 which they believe will not negatively impact education quality in the classroom. This plan will cut the fat of ineffective teachers from our schools while improving teacher performance.

I disagree with this plan. While I do believe that higher performing teachers should be rewarded for their efforts, I do not believe that increasing classroom sizes is a valid option. Also how will the state determine "effective" teachers? More testing of our students? Students' performance on a standardized test is not solely indicative of a teachers' worth. Standardizing this process would be a disaster and harm our students' education instead of improving it.


Read more!

Texas Public Policy Foundation's Budget Solution:
http://www.texaspolicy.com/pdf/2011-BudgetSolutions-ArticleIII-Education.pdf

Huffington Post, use of the Rainy Day Fund:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/15/rick-perry-rainy-day-fund_n_836339.html

Save Texas Schools campaign, comparing Texas public education system to other states': http://savetxschools.org/2011/02/how-we-stack-up/

The Statesman, how cutting education hurts students:
http://www.statesman.com/opinion/mccown-texas-shouldnt-reduce-spending-at-the-expense-1353445.html

UN Declaration of Human Rights:
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml

Human Trafficking laws

Human trafficking is defined as “the recruitment, harboring, transporting, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, slavery, or forced commercial sex acts” (SEC. 103 (8) Trafficking Victims Protection Act, 2000). Currently in the United States human trafficking is the second largest crime next to drugs (MSNBC). According to the US State Department, an estimated 14,500 to 17,500 immigrants are trafficked into the United States each year; this number does not include the thousands of American citizens that are also trapped into our country’s sex slave operations.

          

Human trafficking is the second largest crime in our country with its roots in Texas. One in five trafficking victims are in Texas and Houston serves as the central port for human trafficking (TABC). Immigrants are “brought to Houston, beaten and raped, drugged into submission before being sent to clandestine bordellos all over the country” (Carroll, 2009).

Human trafficking is slavery. It is unacceptable that slavery is so blatantly occurring in the United States. Our country stands on equality and that everyone has the right to equal treatment in the workforce. It is a widely accepted value that reasonable working hours for one person are 40 hours per week. When an employee works beyond 40 hours they are viewed as going beyond the standard and receive incentives for their extra work such as overtime or recognition. Human trafficking victims do not receive these basic rights such as days off from work and holiday vacations. Women must work seven days a week every week of the year. These victims face the damaging psychological factors of sexual abuse in addition to exhaustion and unreasonable working hours.

Human trafficking is about forced labor and servitude. Women are forced into performing sexual acts against their will for money they will never personally receive. Their freedoms are taken away and they are modern day slaves trapped in the sex trade within our own borders.  This modern day slavery begins in the state of Texas and therefore it is our responsibility to make it stop.

Several bills have been submitted to the Texas Legislature this session pertaining to human trafficking. The most difficult problem with reducing this crime is the strict regulations that make it almost impossible to prosecute any violators. The current bills, SB 98, SB 24, and HB 7 all propose methods for law officials to be able to crack down on those trafficking individuals for labor and sex crimes. SB 24 suggests a 47 member Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force that would include the governor and many statewide law officials. The law also increases jail time for offenders to 25 years, automatic life sentences to repeat offenders, and a felony for those who traffic children. Prior to this law, human trafficking was limited to sex trafficking. This law will increase the definition to also include labor trafficking. The law will also provide a certain measure of legal protection for victims, giving children forced into prostitution provisions similar to sexual assault cases. The bill has passed and will be enacted into law. 

 

Resources:

Attorney General of Texas. 2010. Attorney general convenes human trafficking prevention task force.

Carrol, S. 2009. Houston Chronicle. Tighter laws on traffickers get results.             http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6626053.html

Central Texas Coalition Against Human Trafficking. 2006. Does human trafficking really happen here? 

MSNBC. Sex slaves: Texas. Aired November 8, 2010.

http://news.change.org/stories/victory-texas-passes-tough-anti-trafficking-law

http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2011/mar/24/texas-senate-toughens-human-trafficking/

Advocacy and Social Work

We live in a challenging period of time for both the nation and for the State of Texas. Resources have become scarce, and during such times it becomes essential to effectively balance growth, contraction, and preservation of social programs. But difficult times are not an excuse for the state to abandon its people, nor are they an excuse to deny the fundamental human rights of adequate education, good health, and public safety. In these times it is the responsibility of those who work in the social services to be the voices and advocates for the growing masses of the disempowered across the state.

The 82nd Texas Legislature has already proven to be one of the most difficult and contentious sessions in decades. The Republican majority is one of the largest in years compromising two thirds of the State House of Representatives as well as controlling the Senate and the governorship. It has taken the dramatic budget shortfall, which is expected to be between 15 and 25 billion dollars, as an excuse to decimate numerous state programs. The majority is using the recession as an answer to its philosophy of small government by claiming that this mess is caused by too much spending despite the fact that this budget shortfall is actually the consequence of irresponsibly lowering taxes for the sake of politics. Is our fiscal situation really the consequence of too much spending or is it rather too little revenue? By cutting state spending and by closing or dramatically minimizing state offices we will be undercutting the fragile economy of the state and further putting people out of work. If this is the case then social service agencies will prove to be one of the hardest hit, and consequently thousands of people will be harmed. Now is a time for the voices of Social Work, from policy maker to practitioner, to stand up for the people of Texas.

Other than the budget shortfall there are many proposals moving at the capital which will be affecting the social work profession. Representative Elliot Naishtat of district 49, who holds a Masters of Social Work from the University of Texas, is the only social worker on the hill and is an ardent advocate for the profession. Some of his contributions in this 82nd session include HB 1779 relating to an exemption from private security regulation for social workers (pending) and HB 1797 relating to the licensing and practice of social work (referred to Human Services Committee). Now is a time for self preservation, and though programming will likely be cut these budget neutral proposals might be some of the best steps which could be taken this year to improve the profession. All signs point to cuts in programming being inevitable, though the size and scope of these cuts are still unknown. Whatever the case this industry-wide challenge is an opportunity to strengthen the advocacy arm of the social work profession. These dire times will not last forever, and in times of distress there is good reason to organize.

On Thursday March 3, 2011 hundreds of social workers from across the state converged upon the capital for Social Work Advocacy Day organized by the Texas chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. They were there in mass, wearing teal as a sign of professional unity, energized and invigorated at the chance to tell their stories and promote the profession. Throughout the day hundreds of advocates including students, teachers, and practitioners of every age went from office to office across the capital speaking with aids and lawmakers about the Texas NASW legislative agenda. One of the day’s highlights took place in the middle of the morning when advocates gathered in the Texas House Chamber to hear Representative Naishtat read HR 177 which recognizes March 2011 as Professional Social Work Month. Sometimes acknowledgement is the most important morale booster, and this moment in the chamber was a powerful statement to all those who were present that the hard work and countless hours done by social workers is appreciated on some levels by the state.

In the coming months social workers along with all advocates for human rights in the state must speak out. Will their voices be enough to stop the upcoming assault? Will their critical message of social justice for the people be received and acted upon? No, probably not. This year will likely be a step backwards for social services and human rights in Texas. But it is not an end to the fight! This setback is an excuse for unity and for a growth and strengthening of the advocacy within social work. This voice has a critical role to play in the future, and the fortunate thing about politics is that nothing is ever set in stone. As this probable budget is implemented there will be a backlash and that moment will be an opportunity for those with a true concern for improving the lives of everyday Texans to help steer the state back towards a promising future.



More information on pending legislation can be found at:

Texas Legislature Online. (2011). www.house.state.tx.us