For years parents and voters have been waking up to the fact that our public schools are in decay and have lost sight of their core mission to prepare the next generation of Americans for participation in our political, civic, and economic systems. Public education has become controlled and run by a complex of interests so big and so corrupt, it’s hard for most to comprehend. At the head of this complex is TASB – Texas Association of School Boards.
Their name is a misnomer. In reality, they are an association of teachers unions and administrative bureaucrats. Their business model has secured them a monopoly and a hundred million plus annual revenue thiefdom. While many have woken up to this reality, there is a key role the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) plays in maintaining TASB’s taxpayer-funded control over public education as well. This week at their quarterly meeting in Austin, they will be taking up the framework for school board development.
While this document may seem like a sleepy four page ‘nothing burger’, it sets the tone for what school boards do across the state, in each of our local communities. It is problematic to say the least. For example:
- In this short document there are nearly 10 references to equity and social justice.
- While stating the board is in charge, it goes on to include the superintendent as part of the management team.
- Demands cohesion with superintendent, administration, and the board.
- Demands the board act in unison.
- As the Texas legislature fights to end taxpayer funded lobbying, 1/5thof this document is focused on “advocacy” – a code word for lobbying.
Let’s break some of this out.
By now it is clear the social justice emphasis has destroyed our public schools and taken their eyes off the prize – well-educated children. Texans have spoken loudly against this. It must end. Phrases like: “Incorporates equity when making decisions and evaluating systems and processes” must be replaced with goals more attuned with “ensure rigorous educational outcomes are achieved when making decision and evaluating systems and processes”.
Remove this idea of a “Team of 8”—the elected school board plus the superintendent (a district employee). For those not familiar with TASB’s team of 8 training, it teaches that the board, seven, plus the superintendent make up the team of 8 to run the district. Wrong. The board is in charge and the superintendent works for them. He is not on the board and good governance demands an understanding of that distinction.
The document goes on to state that board members should “honor the decision of the majority”, focus on ISD’s “goals as opposed to individual agendas separate and apart from the shared vision.” The question arises, why elect 7 separate board members at all? If the goal conformity of all, then 7 individuals aren’t needed and most certainly not 8. That’s obviously insane. Board members are elected to represent the public, not safeguard the entity.
For 20 plus years TASB has been aggressively lobbying your State Representatives and Senators for a bottomless pit of money and against charter schools, and school choice, working against parents and taxpayers. They single handedly drive your property taxes up more than all other local political subdivisions combined.
As it turns out TASB has the backing of the SBOE’s framework document. It is the SBOE, not TASB, who writes and determines the framework for board training.
The Republican-controlled SBOE must immediately rewrite the framework with heavy emphasis on board governance separate from school administrators (as defined in statute) and laser focus on educational outcomes.
We can continue to call out TASB, but the SBOE can fix a major structure enabler of this bad actor immediately. Act now, Texans are watching.
Link to Framework for School Board Development: Click Here