For weeks now the RGV has been set upon by discussion and conflicts concerning teacher pay, low student performance and losing good teachers. Nearly all the school districts are headhunting each other’s teachers by offering stipends and across-the-board increases. They say we are losing the good teachers, yet the same rewards for staying are offered to good and bad teachers. Assuming that labor is as with most businesses nearly 50% of total cost, wouldn’t it be better to offer less of a raise and stipend and maybe offer the less-effective teachers an incentive payable when they improve?
Then after all this back and forth, the Texas Education Agency announces that HidalgoCounty schools earn high marks in ratings. What ratings? From whom? Not the NEA. Not the SAT. Not the ACT. From whom, then? From themselves!
These A, B and C ratings measure each school only against Texas-set standards which, according to the national SAT results, place Texas in the bottom third of the USA, along with Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia, etc. To further hide this embarrassment the Legislature removed the Ds and Fs from the rating scheme through Senate Bill 1365.
So we will be told to pay additional taxes to provide stipends and raises that will keep the teachers we have, both good and bad, here. This will somehow improve our children’s education so they all can get at least a Texas C, and that will put our schools in the bottom third on the national scale. No TEA! Quit playing the political/test score/tax/teacher game. Put a workable incentive program in place to reward the good ones and fire the non-performers. That will teach our children about the real world.
Ned Sheats
Mission
Pay no taxes,
get no rebate
Recently I watched Jennifer Granholm brag that the American public can win with the new bill passed by the Biden administration. Low-income households can weather their homes for free, i.e., new heat pumps, new house insulation, solar power panels, etc. In addition, moderate-income households are eligible for up to 30% off solar power systems and installation to save energy.
I call this B.S. I am a Texas resident; both my wife and I are retired and my wife is handicapped. I have been in touch with several solar power providers, tax accountants as well as state and federal agencies concerning solar tax rebates or credits. All have told me that due to the fact that during my working career I worked very hard to pay my taxes and invest my savings into systems that do not require me to pay any taxes during my retirement, I do not qualify for any of these programs because I do not have a tax obligation. In a world where our government gives way free cell phones, medical treatment, school supplies and free school enrollment to illegal immigrants, citizens of this country who have paid all of their taxes without complaining get ignored and passed over.
Mr. Biden, wake up, smell the roses and support your citizens, not all of the illegal immigrants.
I tell my wife and friend that should this country continue to go down the toilet, I might go to Mexico and apply for citizenship there. If Biden continues to go the way he has, all of the cartels and criminals will be over here.
Can someone or anyone help me?
Raymond Yates
Donna
