The Texas Senate has passed Senate Bill 4 (the bill still must be approved by the House if it is to become law).  This bill allows Texas businesses to receive a tax credit it they contribute to private school scholarship funds that can be used by students enrolled in public school. Bottom line, the Texas Senate has sent a voucher program to the Texas House for approval.  This is historic, because rarely to Senators expose to the general public what they truly believe.  This vote stripped away the veil of political double speak and allows the citizens of Texas to really get to know their Senator.

Let’s examine the lies our Senators have told us:

1. They will uphold the Constitution. A lie. Unless they were unaware of the pesky clause relating to the separation of church and state.

2. They believe in providing for better schools. A lie. Unless they believe that reduced funding is a form of support.

3. They believe in school accountability. A lie.  Unless they believe that no accountability (which is what the Senate requires of private schools) is a form of accountability.

4. They believe the Common Core is evil. A lie.  Unless they believe that an “evil” curriculum resource used by a private school makes the “evil” resource… good. 

5. They believe in reduced government spending. A lie.  Unless spending state tax funds on brand new expenditures is really doesn’t count as spending money.

Now let’s examine the truth, as illustrated by the voting record of our Senators:

1. The Texas Senate believes that creating subsidies for the affluent is good policy.

2. The Texas Senate believes that segregating children based on wealth, gender, creed, and geography is good policy.

Now to be fair, not all members of the Texas Senate believe this.  Only Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and the 18 Senators who voted for Senate Bill 4, which are:

Senator Paul Bettencourt (Houston Area) Senator Brian Birdwell (Waco Area) Senator Donna Campbell (San Antonio Area) Senator Brandon Creighton (Beaumont Area) Senator Kevin Eltife (Longview Area) Senator Craig Estes (Wichita Falls Area) Senator Troy Fraser (Belton Area) Senator Bob Hall (Rockwall Area) Senator Kelly Hancock (North Richland Hills Area) Senator Dan Huffines (Dallas Area) Senator Joan Huffman (Houston Area) Senator Lois Kolkhorst (Brenham Area) Senator Eduardo A. Lucio, Jr. (Brownsville Area) Senator Jane Nelson (Grapevine Area) Senator Charles Perry (Lubbock Area) Senator Charles Schwertner (Georgetown Area) Senator Larry Taylor (Pearland Area) Senator Van Taylor (Plano Area)

Think. Work. Achieve. Your turn…

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); NAESP National Conference; Illinois ASCD Fall Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook