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Bell Blasts Special Session In Corpus

Date: May 14, 2006
Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Issues: Education


Bell Blasts Special Session in Corpus

May 14, 2006

CORPUS CHRISTI-Fresh from his statewide Texas Education Tour, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Chris Bell today held a press conference in Corpus Christi to explain how the recently completed special session affects his campaign.

"With Rick taking away her only issue, Carole Strayhorn no longer has any reason to be in this race," said Chris Bell. "Her whole campaign was about Rick Perry's inability to pass a school finance plan. Now the big issue in the race becomes not just funding education but improving education, and we've been talking about that from the start."
"With Rick taking away her only issue, Carole Strayhorn no longer has any reason to be in this race," said Chris Bell. "Her whole campaign was about Rick Perry's inability to pass a school finance plan. Now the big issue in the race becomes not just funding education but improving education, and we've been talking about that from the start."

Chris Bell has called for ending the high-stakes nature of the TAKS test, which is currently the only criteria determining whether a student advances or graduates. This has corrupted the curriculum and lead to an over-reliance on standardized testing in our schools, something that became abundantly clear in Chris Bell's Texas Education Tour.

"I started a Texas Education Tour right here in Corpus Christi, and everywhere I went in Texas, students, teachers and administrators told me that the TAKS test is taking over their schools. When a principal in McAllen referred to his students as the ‘Children of TAKS,' as in they've taken these tests their whole careers, that left me with the impression that all their time is dedicated to TAKS. That is my greatest fear,"" said Bell. "Rick Perry just doesn't get it. The folks running schools in Austin act like testing will make our kids smarter. Testing won't make our kids smarter just like using a ruler doesn't make you taller."

Bell has also called for a $6,000-a-year, across-the-board teacher pay raise.

"Rick Perry is bragging about a one-time-only teacher pay raise that comes to about $30 a month after taxes," said Bell. "I want an across-the-board pay raise with a dependable funding source. If educating the next generation is the highest purpose of government, then it's time for teachers' paychecks to start reflecting that."

http://www.chrisbell.com/releases/051606_corpus

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