this post was submitted on 17 Nov 2025
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Gov. Greg Abbott’s plan to cut property taxes will starve public schools while he sends state money to private schools.

Texas already ranks 47th in the nation in public school funding and pays teachers $10,000 less a year than the national average. No surprise then that Texas students trail the nation in reading and math scores, according to the Nation's Report Card, a nonprofit that analyzes testing data.

The Legislature increased public school funding by $8 billion for the next two years, but it was the first increase in state funding since 2019 and doesn't keep up with inflation. Lawmakers then promised to spend $1 billion in state tax revenue to send 100,000 kids to private schools.

Tying the hands of school boards will guarantee they will have to close more schools and cut more teachers, explained Clay Robison, spokesman for the Texas State Teachers Association.

"Abbott does not really care about public education; his focus now is on private schools, charter schools, and giving them all the tax dollars," he told me. "More teachers are going to quit."

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[–] RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world 15 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

You have to respect his dedication to that 1 star rating, as advertised.

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[–] Jolly_Platypus@lemmy.world 92 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Texans are going to get even dumber, if that were possible.

[–] falseWhite@lemmy.world 30 points 2 days ago

That's their goal. Dumb people are easy to manipulate and brainwash.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 11 points 2 days ago

And meaner.

[–] PrincessLeiasCat@sh.itjust.works 53 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

A couple weeks ago here in TX we voted on 17 state constitutional amendments. I want to say 12-13 of those were some form of tax cut for the wealthy. I voted against all of them but they all passed. And they passed big, like 60-70% to 40-30%.

The wording they used to describe the amendments was very much skewed to make them sound wonderful. No negatives, only positives. For instance, something like this may have had the wording “more money for schools”.

On its face it seems like a good idea - fewer taxes for me, more money for schools - what could go wrong? I assume most folks just looked at it said “ok” without much additional thought.

It’s very frustrating to basically have the large majority of voters approve this, giving the state government reassurance that they can do whatever they want, when it’s an obvious lie.

Nothing they do is to help the “regular” people of Texas. It’s all tax breaks for businesses and the super wealthy and Christian Nationalism disguised as “parental choice”.

It’s absolutely disgusting.

[–] seanziepples@lemmy.world 14 points 2 days ago

Yeah I voted no for every single one. I think part of the problem is barely anybody showed up to vote.

[–] voxthefox@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 2 days ago

I posted about this a few weeks ago, it's so frustrating seeing texas tax situation get more and more regressive.

[–] 2piradians@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago (2 children)

My SO is a teacher here in Texas. She's well aware of the budget hoarding Abbott has been at for years; districts are hurting and having to close schools to get by. State Congress also made cuts to homeowner taxes for schools.

It's especially amusing when Abbott touts pay raises for teachers. Their health insurance premiums increase, to the dollar, for the amount of the 'raise'.

I think the goal is to end secular education in the state. Fund the private/religious schools/charter schools (which in particular are a joke), and give the bogus vouchers for homeschooling. As others have said, they want an ignorant populace.

Hopefully when enough boomers die off we can turn things around.

[–] ArmchairAce1944@discuss.online 8 points 2 days ago (4 children)

Waiting for boomers to die won't be as efficient as you think. Remember that both JD Vance and Stephen Miller are milliennials and you know how they are like.

[–] WoodScientist@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Yup. The Zoomer conservatives won't reform their ethics. They'll just replace the teachers of poor black kids with AI chat bots.

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[–] Artaca@lemdro.id 3 points 2 days ago

I always assume the goal is to reduce education, likely increasing criminals who can get arrested and then work as free labor. No matter what it's dumb. Ugh.

[–] ArmchairAce1944@discuss.online 12 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (3 children)

One lesson from Canada.

Canada is experiencing a major problem with Healthcare... they have been doing a lot of privatization as of late and those private clinics are not only more expensive and less efficient. They are also public money recipients... and they are more expensive on the taxpayer than the public option.

So they are technically publicly funded and get money from clients and are complete shit...

[–] Jessvj93@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Sounds like the CSU and UC....they have an open faucet on financial aid + loans, on top of private investment. But they literally cry poor and "it's too expensive" whenever it comes to benefitting the freaking students and staff.

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[–] voracitude@lemmy.world 22 points 2 days ago (2 children)

What did Texas do to Greg Abbott, for him to hate it this much?

[–] dejected_warp_core@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Oh, that's easy to explain. They dared to give people "not like Greg Abbott" a leg up.

[–] yeather@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

“A leg up”

“Greg Abbott”

Ironic

[–] _stranger_@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Took his legs.

https://www.texastribune.org/2002/02/18/greg-abbott-as-plaintiff/

The Lorax knew what was up, but he didn't succeed in his plans.

[–] etherphon@lemmy.world 52 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Lol, see you at number 50 in education Texas, when all those private schools cut corners and pocket money instead of teaching students.

[–] Tujio@lemmy.world 17 points 3 days ago (11 children)

I dunno. It's not like Mississippi and Missouri are doing anything right.

[–] SanctimoniousApe@lemmings.world 20 points 2 days ago

They don't have economies anywhere near the size of Texas. TX can easily afford to do the right thing, but instead chooses to do the right-wing thing.

[–] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 12 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Thought I heard Mississippi was turning things around, partially by *gasp* failing kids that don't meet standards and holding them back a year.

[–] yeather@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

That isn’t reflected in the statistics yet and won’t be for another 5-8 years. Texas is probably 49th in terms of K-5 now.

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[–] Bronzebeard@lemmy.zip 4 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Nah, this is them setting up their caste system. The rich people send their kids to these private schools to be management, and all the plebs get underfunded shitty education and get to be their wage slaves.

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[–] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Nah, the private schools are for the rich kids to actually learn things so they have a lifelong advantage over the public school kids.

[–] etherphon@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago

By learning things I suppose you mean make connections because that's the real power in a place like that.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 21 points 2 days ago (1 children)

In Florida, the MAGAs are all pledging to end property taxes, which of course will help the wealthy property owners the most. Without an income tax OR property tax, what is supposed to pay for things like schools?

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 15 points 2 days ago

Welcome to the end of the Boomer economy.

[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 12 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I guess Texas is getting what they voted for

[–] Flocklesscrow@lemmy.zip 17 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Texas has been GOP governed for nearly 30 years.

The "please tread all over me" state.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

It's four big cities and four hundred oil baronies squashed into one state.

The politics varies heavily country to country.

[–] zaki_ft@lemmings.world 14 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I feel bad for anyone in the Texas public school system.

They are not getting a competitive education.

[–] AdolfSchmitler@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago

They'll be taught to blame a Democrat anytime something goes wrong in their lives

Step 1. Promise to Cut taxes

Step 2. Not mention those tax cuts are going to hit local public school

Step 3. Realize within a year or 2 that the cuts are not sustainable

Step 4. Force a levy for "emergency school funding"

[–] fartographer@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Well, I was one of the last ones in within my department. Guess I'll be second on the chopping block.

I wouldn't be surprised to see LEE High School soon change back to its original (Robert E.) Lee. A name that was chosen the same year that modern civil rights were amended into the Constitution.

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