PISD Domestic Partner Healthcare

PEA has taken the first set of slots. They are speaking to this policy as a benefit being threatened, much like the salary schedule and 3 sick days were taken from them in the past.

7:35
The PHS cafeteria is covered in signs reminding everyone of the "hate-free" status of this school. The "No Place for Hate" crowd is following the PEA lineup.

7:40
Mine will be the last testimony of the evening. My number?  40.

7:45
Hate shows its head via John Saenz (and "Texas Values"). Since he's Hispanic, he knows discrimination. Veiled threat of legal action.

Pastor from First Baptist Church of Pflugerville...claims to be the hate monger...it's hard for him to hear. He's devoted his whole life to loving people. His congregation loves P'ville, and they've done a lot. He feels bullied by name-callers. That's NOT his reputation. This is simply about where the majority lies.

8:00
Next testimony reminds board that an opinion from AG has no force of law and hasn't happened.

8:03
My priest is up now. She's making my key point: nobody seems to care about the heterosexual domestic partners. Jesus said, "Love everyone, and take care of everyone."

8:07
John Henkens--"This will fall on the backs of the taxpayers." I will work to check the spelling. He asked to get this on the record.

8:08
TSTA just finished their statewide staff meeting today. Pretty much the whole staff is in the "Silent P" tonight. Testimony to this point is firmly leaning toward keeping the benefit.

8:30
The best HS debater in Texas (#2 in nation) is the son of a same-sex couple. Refreshing to find an issue that brings high school students (and college students who graduated from PISD) into the discussion.

The other side seems surprised that they have met resistance. I've never seen these types of people act so timid in a Texas public venue.

8:46
A smattering of testimony to flip the vote. Still, overwhelmingly in favor of keeping the "benefit." My testimony is coming soon. It's in God's hands. Kind of like this internet connection!

No, You Can't.

"Let me give you a word about the philosophy..." of Texas public schools.

They're different than most states.

In most places, activities like football and cheerleading are just that: activities.

In Texas, they are classes.

You get a grade.

You meet during the school day.

It's true in middle school, as well.In the middle of the morning today, a group of 7th graders are jogging out to a practice field in full gear to practice football. When finished, they will trot back to the building and dress back in their school clothes to attend math class.

In high school, it gets more significant, though.

You also meet after school.

After all, you can't expect to win in this state unless you practice from 3-6:30 on whatever it is you "do." Athletics gets "double-blocked."

So does the band.

So do a bunch of other classes, like that new and interesting geometry class that involves construction time building a structure that from what I can tell is either an ice-fishing shack or one of those "swamp homes" from the bayou of Louisiana. 

Before I had children attending the local high school, I didn't care much about this system. Now, it flat-out drives me crazy.

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My high school years were spent doing all kinds of things. I wasn't a great athlete, but I participated in a number of sports. Today, we expect kids in Texas to choose one. You can play tennis or soccer. You can be in band or choir. If you want to do two things, well, then half of your coursework is determined by those…and the other half will be determined by the requirements to graduate from high school, i.e.--English, math, science, social studies. Oh, and you need a foreign language. And also, you need…

The list goes on. There are 2500 students in many of these schools. There are 12 spots on the varsity basketball team.

Contrast that with the state of my birth, where entire districts can have 300 students. In those cases, the marching band suffers on Friday night because the cornerback is also the #2 trombone player. He also takes part in theatre (theater), wrestling, and four other things throughout the year.

Crunch time for the Henley family came Monday. I have a son with serious musical ability. He wasn't all too excited about band at year's beginning; however, he realized how much better he had gotten this year. The grueling work he did last year paid off, and he finished as the #4 player in a district filled with tens of thousands of students. Watching the Pflugerville Pfestival of Bands (including an appearance from Texas State's marching band) helped, as well.

Horn players are like gold to a band director. They're needed in just about every small ensemble, and the instrument is fairly difficult to play. Everybody wants to play trumpet, saxophone, flute, drums. Then those kids turn around, looking for a horn player to complete their quintet or carry the tenor line for the ensemble. Pflugerville High School will be lucky to have him, and band will be a great experience for him. He'll travel. He'll be surrounded by friends and a "team" of 150 working toward a common goal. This will be great!

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OK, let's get this set up:

You have to take these four classes because they're "core." [Another blog is coming on THAT one…]

You have to take Spanish to graduate. Alright. That's five.

Want to play soccer--like you have for seven years, already? Your dad was your coach for three years. You're an Aztex fan. You're pretty good. You have a Messi jersey hanging on your wall. You ref little kid games for extra money. Soccer is your "thing."

That "double-blocked" course will set you up to seven classes.

You have eight, total.

OK, band, then...
Wait, that's double-blocked, as well!

You can't take band for one credit?

Doesn't matter. "Geometry+Ice-Fishing-Shack-Building 101" is also double-blocked, so you already have eight, anyway.

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I only majored in music because I was trying to cobble together enough money to go to college in the first place. I was worth $50 as a non-major…$400 or so as a music major. I fell in love with music when I discovered how music was being created in my theory class. I liked human interaction, so education was natural to me.

I needed to be 18 or 19 to discover these things, but they changed my life, and the lives of those of those I taught for a decade and a half. Music and music education defined my adult life and provided me with opportunities I couldn't imagine at age 13.

My son is 13. He won't have those musical opportunities.

He will miss many, many other opportunities because he is in Texas.

They do things BIG here.

And very, very specifically.

I'm sorry, Micah. I wish I could help you become everything you're capable of becoming.

But I can't. Not here...