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Texas Observer
Texas Observer
Politics
Josephine Lee

‘We Are in a Crisis’: Texas Public Schools on the Edge

Texas Josephine Lee Texas Observer Nathan Johnson Greg Abbott Tax Cuts Zeph Capo DoorDash

In early March, the old sewage pipes of a Houston public middle school broke. By noon, there were only two bathroom stalls for 1,200 students. At 2 p.m., sewage water started leaking out into the hallways. Teacher Traci Laston tried to push ahead instructing her class, but the students couldn’t focus. 

“This is happening all over Texas in schools with old infrastructure. There’s just no extra funds for building repairs, for anything,” Laston said. “The politicians are worried about what content is being taught or not being taught … versus truly fixing the problems in schools.”

Veronica Lindsey, Ivan Ortega, and Karen Ortega traveled with 50 others who work in Socorro ISD, near El Paso, for a total of 24 hours to attend Texas American Federation of Teachers union’s Public Education Advocacy Day at the state Capitol. “We’re here because we genuinely love what we do and care about the kids and the future of our schools,” Lindsey said. (Credit: Josephine Lee/Texas Observer)
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