Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Dallas ISD Trustee Mike Morath attempted to amend a new cornerstone principle of the Texas Association of School Boards dealing with opposition to using public funds for mechanisms to privatize public education

The Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) held its 2013 state Delegate Assembly in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, September 28, 2013. Conference Delegates were presented with a newly proposed Cornerstone Principle for adoption.

The proposed new Cornerstone Principle was written as follows: 
"Opposition to the use of public funds for vouchers, tax credits, and other mechanisms to privatize public education."
Delegates adopted this Cornerstone principle of the Texas Association of School Boards by 95.39 percent (Yes-331, No-16).

Then it was announced that an amendment to the Cornerstone Principle had been sumitted by Mike Morath (Dallas ISD).

The minutes of the Delegate Assembly state the following:

"Hughey announced that an amendment to the proposal had been submitted by Mike Morath (Dallas ISD) with a second by Marshal Wesley (Duncanville ISD). The amendment would alter the language to read:
Morath amendment: "Opposition to the use of public funds for vouchers, tax credits, and other mechanisms to publicly fund private schools.
Original language - "other mechanisms to privatize public education."
Morath Amendment - "other mechanisms to publicly fund private schools."

"Garcia called for a vote on the proposed amendment. The amendment failed with Delegates voting against it by 70.92 percent (Yes-98, No-239)."

"...Garcia called for a vote by Frisbee on the Original proposed language of the new Cornerstone Principle. The Principle was adopted by a two-thirds majority."

The Mike Morath amendment failed: It would have exempted charter schools that have become "mechanisms to privatize public education."