I've debated for more than a week on whether or not to post this. After all, it's one thing and I wasn't convinced if it was fair or appropriate to use this one thing as a measure against an entire state. But I had some time yesterday to do a bit of research on the state of education in Texas and came to the conclusion that this one thing is pretty indicative of the overall mess -- even when recent improvements are considered. 
The sign above is prominently placed on the front of a rural bus stop (shown on the right) for the Pottsboro Independent School District, located in Pottsboro, Texas.I'm not exactly sure who built the bus stop or what type of screening process was done on the signage. For instance, I have no idea if the sign was approved by the local school board, or simply something ordered and mounted by their local transportation director.
What I do know, based on a publication by the state comptroller, is that Texas pupils are getting the very short end of the stick.
Texas is #49 in verbal SAT scores in the nation and #46 in average math SAT scores.
Texas is #36 in the nation in high school graduation rates.
Texas is #33 in the nation in teacher salaries.
Texas was the only state in the nation to cut average per pupil expenditures in FY2005, resulting in a ranking of #40 nationally, down from #25.
Texas is #6 in the nation in student growth -- the largest percentage of growth coming from low income and minority children.
Texas is #50 for the percent of state residents with a high school diploma.
What's more shocking than these statistics is the fact that most are notable improvements when compared with where the state education system was five to 10 years ago. But Texas, which has the second largest school population of all the states, doesn't just have issues with education.
According to information distributed by state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, the state is first in percentage of uninsured children, clean-water permit violations, number of executions, and amount of toxic and cancerous manufacturing emissions.
The state is second in sales tax dependence, overall birth rate, hazardous chemical spills and highway fatalities. Only two states can boast a higher percentage of malnourished residents -- and only three can claim more children living in poverty.
And the list, with its accompanying list of sources, goes on and on and on. Despite everything I already knew from reading all the rankings and so-forth released by various agencies, I was stunned to find out exactly how flip-flopped Texas was, scoring on high on things not wanted and low on things desired.
One more thing worth noting is that although Texas has a long history of electing Democratic (read: Dixiecrat) governors, it has been primarily managed by Republicans since 1979.
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