 As we end 2018, I have a few observations as we look to the New Year. We apparently have a new Speaker of the House in Rep. Dennis Bonnen. So far, the talk from all factions is positive about Rep. Bonnen, so we will see how he tries to do a very difficult job of making everyone happy when the new legislative session is underway. He certainly faces some challenges, as he has a history of standing up in the House to speak out about Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s extremist views. Now that he is part of the 3-headed leadership in Texas (Gov., Lt. Gov., Speaker of the House) it will be interesting to watch that dynamic play out. The “School Finance Commission” wrapped up its work recently. As I said all along, this entire process was just a way to “kick the can down the road” to avoid doing something with school finance in the last session. Now, after a full two years of meetings, bringing in many “experts” and hearing all sides of the issue, the final report was a disappointment, but not unexpected. The two State Representatives on the committee even refused to sign it, because it did not call for the need for any new money flowing to education. Click below for a summary of the report from the Texas Tribune.   This commission was a clear case of “stack the deck” to get the results you want. The commission was filled with people who had their mind made up that no new money would help schools, schools are wasting the money they have, and what we really need are more tax cuts. This tired argument has been going on for years and it is this thinking why nothing meaningful is ever accomplished as it relates to school finance. There were some pro-education members appointed to the commission to show that “school people” were included, but in the end they were outnumbered by those whose minds were already made up long before the two-year process started. Good luck to Speaker Bonnen in helping to make meaningful changes to school finance. He has a tough road ahead.
Finally, each year as we broke for the Christmas break, I always reminded my staff of a few things. First, enjoy your break, recharge your batteries, and spend as much relaxation and fun time with your family and friends as you can. After a hard Fall semester, this break is much needed and much deserved! I also reminded them, that although they would never admit it, there was a certain percentage of students in their classroom who could not wait for the Spring semester to begin. The classroom is a safe haven for many of our students. They feel safe, they are warm and well-fed, and they know they are loved by the staff of people at their local school. Not all students get this at home, and the school is where they literally find peace and comfort. I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season, and I am excited to see what 2019 will bring! If you want to stay connected, you can find me at www.largentconsulting.org, where you can also find my blog and podcast or click the subscribe button below. Follow me on twitter @DrJimLargent and Facebook at Largent Consulting LLC.
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 If you are active on social media, once you get beyond the pictures of people’s meals, kids, and vacations, the next most common topic seems to be politics. No matter what political persuasion you purport yourself to be, you can find plenty of red meat on news or social media sites--some factual information, but mostly a collection of doctored photos, manipulated “facts” or outright lies. If you are a far-right conservative, you can find plenty of sources to fuel your beliefs that “liberal” and “progressive” are curse words and the Democrats are a collection of Christian-hating tree huggers, who want handouts from those with money, so they can live a life of luxury without having to work. If you are a left-wing liberal, you can find different sites and outlets that will have you believe that all Republicans are racist hate mongers who hate anyone who does not look, act, and worship exactly like them. Unfortunately, the ugly truth is that there are radical extremists on both ends of the political spectrum who believe exactly what I have described. We witness this daily on biased news outlets and on social media, and I believe this extreme, hateful, partisanship we are living in now is destructive to our state and our nation. In my opinion, we are in a dangerous place, where politics has become a religion for many of our citizens. We are at a point in our society that being seen with, or (God-forbid) agreeing with, an idea from somebody on the “other side” will create an uproar and cause you to be labeled a traitor and not a “true” Republican or Democrat. I speak this truth from experience, as I have actually been in the arena. The real problem in Texas is that we are a non-voting state. Less than 20% of registered voters actually vote in primaries, and that number only goes up slightly in presidential elections. So, we are essentially electing people with votes from the extreme ends of each party, while 80% of people in the middle choose to not participate. I believe their absence at the polls is why we have such a partisan and divided country. It is vitally important that all Texans and all Americans vote based on the merits of the candidates and not just whether they have an R or a D behind their name. I would urge all of you to research the candidates using factual information, an incumbents actual voting record or record of accomplishments, and what groups support and most importantly, fund them. Follow the money. Once you do that, the choice is normally very clear on who is the best person for the job in which they seek. As for me, I will be voting for the person and not a party!
 Over the past month, I have begun to organize my life and get into a routine; something I am finding I need! One of the things I have enjoyed thus far is getting into podcasting. If you haven’t had a chance to listen, I hope you will give me a try by going here: http://largentconsulting.org/podcast.html Honestly, I have never been much of a listener of podcasts, but after dabbling in it a bit, I have found a new world of information that is specific to one’s interests. So, give it a try and I would love if you would let me know what you think. If you like it, subscribe to my podcast and you will be notified each time we put out a new show. I plan to continue Season One as a weekly show through the November election, then start Season Two in February. So far, we are off to a great start with over 1,000 downloads and 500 subscribers in only a few short weeks. To give a brief recap of my podcasts thus far, the first couple of shows were focused on being a “difference maker” and the importance of “relationships” in anything we do. I think we sometimes forget that, especially those of you in education, we are difference makers every day. Some child is looking to us for guidance, love, and compassion and we have an awesome opportunity to make a difference for the rest of that child’s life. If you choose to be sarcastic, rude, uncaring, unprepared, and generally mad at the world, your kids will remember that, too. So, I hope all of you will remember how important your role is, and that you will make it a point to wake up every morning with the goal of making a positive difference in this world. In my second podcast, I talk about the importance of relationships and give some examples from people I have encountered in my career. Building positive relationships can be done with very little effort, but you need to make it part of your day, every day, in order for it to be sincere and effective. I am wrapping up the month with a 3-part interview with Dr. John Kuhn, the superintendent of Mineral Wells ISD and an outspoken advocate for public education. I think you will enjoy our discussions on advocacy, innovations in education, the testing and accountability system, school finance, and the importance of educators getting involved in the voting process. I hope those of you in education are off to a great start to your school year. It has been a little different for me not getting up and going to the office each day, but I am finding that I have plenty to do, the days go by fast, and I am excited about getting on the road with my new business and seeing old friends, working with my corporate partners, and continuing my advocacy for education. Life is Good! I hope you will follow me on Twitter @DrJimLargent and Facebook at Largent Consulting LLC. My website is largentconsulting.org. Feel free to email me with comments to jim@largentconsulting.org |