社评0308 休斯敦学区正面临接管

休斯敦学区正面临接管

由社区及教师们组成之群眾预计近日前往德州政府所在地奥斯丁示威抗议,反对州政府接管休斯敦学区 。这塲拉锯战将是休斯敦教育史上面对最大之挑战。

特纳市长对此表示极大之不满 ，并将参加反制行动 ，在此同时，休斯敦地区选出之州参议员艾威拉多.威特迈在参议院中提出了1662 提案，反对非政府接管休斯敦学区 ，是否可能成功尚是未定之天。

目前休斯敦学区共有二十万学生，二万七千教师，是全州最大学区，全国排名第八名。

我们同时在检讨学区為何被州政府强制接收，其中最重要之因素是辨学不力，学生素质下滑，学区委员也经常出事，这些问题已经有四年多之歴史 。

近年来 ，包括休斯敦在内之美国大都会区 许多居民都是较贫困的少数族裔，其中以拉丁裔及非裔佔有多数 ，更重要的是这些地区之税收显然较少 ，也造成学区经费不足 ，待遇过低 ，留不住好老师自然会影响到学区之素质。

学区之未来有係於整个社会之发展教育乃百年大计 。我们建议全体市民必须注重学区之发展，大家要集思广义来拯救我们的下一代。

Houston Independent School District Is Facing A Takeover

A group composed of politicians, teachers and community leaders is expected go to Austin to demonstrate against a state takeover of the district. This is the biggest challenge in history for Houston's education system.

Mayor Sylvester Turner expressed great dissatisfaction with the prospect of a takeover and plans to participate in a counter-action. 

At the same time,  State Senator Whitmire and other senators joined in an action to sponsor Bill 1662 to oppose the State's takeover of the district. 

Whether any opposition will be successful or not is still in doubt. 

At present, there are 200,000 students and 27,000 teachers in the Houston Independent School District which ranks number one in Texas and eighth largest in the nation. 

In recent years many residents in the metropolitan areas of the United States, including Houston, are poorer ethnic minorities made up of Latin American and African communities. The tax bases are much lower and the tax money is less than average. The situation prevents the hiring of good teachers and lowers student quality. 

We are urging all community leaders to get involved in the crisis that threatens our local education system. We need to save our next generation.