Profiles in Courage - Dr. Marsha Farney

During her term in the Texas Legislature, State Representative Dr. Marsha Farney was a strong advocate for public education and the more than 5.4 million students attending our public schools.  But her support was one of the reasons that she had a bullseye on her back in 2016.  After a campaign by her opponent that was full of untruths, she was defeated in her bid for reelection.

Rather than complain about her loss, she recommitted herself to advancing the cause of public education in the State of Texas.  In 2017, she created an organization and web site called Texas Public School Proud; click here to access the site.  Because so many amazing public school student success stories are seldom shared beyond the boundaries of the individual school community, she is creating a repository of those untold stories on this website.  During my conversations with her and a subsequent meeting in Georgetown, she spelled out what to her is a critical need to tell the success stories of our students.

Her web site spends considerable “real estate” focusing on topics from STEM to languages other than English to personal financial literacy and a discussion of the role that charter schools play in our public education system.  Texas Public School Proud is not just a headline although it certainly would surpass the impact of the headiness others are trying to create; it is about the students in districts across the state who are making a difference.  Perhaps more importantly, it is about the future and celebrating the successes that will help to sustain Texas as a strong economy with limitless opportunities.

More recently, she has been very active on social media supporting efforts by many organizations to get out the vote and to elect candidates who are friendly to public education.  As an elected official, she worked hard for students and is now supporting those who share her passion for public education.

Sadly, Dr. Farney chose not to run for reelection in 2018 but public education advocates across the state are better for her efforts to highlight the successes we see in our classrooms every day.  And through her web site and continued efforts to support students, she may well be doing a better job of advocating than she did during the 84^th Legislative Session; that is going the extra mile!  I am proud to call Marsha a friend and she certainly is a friend to public education, continuing to focus on making education a priority in Texas.

Profiles in Courage – John Kuhn

One of the goals of the Texas Educators Vote initiative is to engage educators at all levels in registering to vote and voting in support of the more than 5.4 million Texas public schoolchildren they serve every day.  Nowhere has an individual stepped forward toward that goal better than John Kuhn, superintendent of Mineral Wells ISD.  John has been an active and outspoken advocate for children and has delivered speeches at numerous events across Texas and across the country.  His efforts have been acknowledged by no less than Diane Ravitch, the founder of the Network for Public Education and one of the foremost advocates for public education, who has called him one of the “8 Powerful Voices in Defense of Public Education”.

While he may seek to downplay his personal impact, John’s messages are landing with educators and others across the country.  In fact, a recent 2-minute video in which he highlighted the stark differences in educational opportunities for two neighboring districts has now been viewed by almost 2 million people … 2 million!  If you have not seen his video titled “2 School Districts, 1 Ugly Truth”, click here. 

John is not alone in his leadership and efforts to engage those within his district and within his community.  In fact, there are numerous superintendents across the state who have had a similar impact on their districts and, ultimately, the students in their district.  But his contributions are noteworthy given the broad dissemination of his message.   He clearly has shown the courage to speak up and to be heard. 

In his powerful video, John speaks about the disparity in funding per student and how that leads to larger class sizes, fewer programs and fewer resources to support the needs of kids.  He talks about the impact of standardized tests and the “one size fits all” model.  Perhaps his most impactful quote is that, “The greatest education malpractice in the US happens in the statehouse, not the schoolhouse”, calling for all those who make decisions about public education to be held accountable for the choices they make. 

The reality is that none of those are held accountable except through the process of voting.  And that is what he and others are working feverishly to impact.  Educators have not generally turned out to vote but with the impact of messages like John’s, they are coming together and they, along with other public education advocates, have the opportunity to truly change actions and attitudes in the statehouse.

The grassroots movement to advocate for our public schools, both in Texas and nationwide, depends heavily on the passion and commitment of individuals like John Kuhn, people who have the courage to focus not on personal agendas as some in Austin seem to do, but on the needs of every child in every classroom.  John continues to deliver his message and it is his courage and conviction that should serve as motivation for all of us to make education a priority.  Are you listening, Austin?

Profiles in Courage – Speaker Joe Straus

As those of us who are advocates for public education continue our efforts, I am inspired by many in our circle of friends.  I previously wrote a blog following a meeting with Rev. Charles Foster Johnson, executive director of Pastors for Texas Children, one of the true champions of public education.  As a result of that conversation and follow up discussions with him, I am motivated to acknowledge the works of others through a series that I have chosen to call “Profiles in Courage”, courage to stand their ground and to advocate for teachers, educators and students across the State.

As I reflected on who to include in this blog series, the obvious next choice is House Speaker Joe Straus, recently named by the Dallas Morning News as “Texan of the Year".  In an editorial on December 31, they headlined their recognition with “Courage of Conviction” and noted that, “House Speaker Joe Straus protected state from its worst political influences”; click here for the editorial.  While he stood his ground on a number of issues, including the ill-conceived “bathroom bill”, he clearly understands the needs of the more than 5.4 Texas school children whose educational opportunities hinge on the ability and willingness of the legislature to address issues including funding and accountability.  Despite head-on challenges and criticism from the Lt. Governor, he certainly held to his convictions.

Perhaps the most critical aspect of what he did was to continue to resist efforts to create private school vouchers (by any name).  One can certainly argue that his opposition to the bathroom bill saved the state from losing countless dollars and that the speaker is more in tune with the needs of the business community than is the Lt. Governor.   While this is important to him, his conviction to stand behind the needs of public education students will likely have an even greater long term impact on the economy and vitality of the State of Texas.  Rather than simply “go along for the ride” with the Governor and Lt. Governor, Speaker Straus consistently demonstrated a willingness to lead, to articulate the rationale behind his actions and to build consensus irrespective of party lines.

Backing words with action, he has focused the attention of his peers on the economic competitiveness of the state.  Instead of adopting a personal agenda that ignores the wishes of the public in general, his is an effort to see the big picture.  At the top of the list is a focus on education as a stimulus for the economy.  With Texas’ continued efforts to recruit companies to relocate to Texas, an educated and skilled workforce is paramount.

When Speaker Straus announced that he is not running for reelection to the House, he left a void that all of us have to continue to fight to fill.  His actions and courage during the last session and special session made him an easy target for many but, through it all, he was consistent in his belief and support of causes that will help our public education students to be the cornerstone of Texas’ vitality and success.  His courage should serve as inspiration for all of us to continue to make public education a priority. 

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for your contributions and your service.  You certainly will be missed when the 86th legislative session convenes a year from now.