A Libertarian’s View on Texas’s New School-related Policies
And a Strong Critique of Modern Conservative Social Politics.
Texas Conservatives recently passed multiple pieces of legislature that have undermined student rights and proved that the public high school education system in this country has been in a desparing decline. By passing these laws, Texas has substantiated my views that the public education system is one of America’s greatest failures—and that this terrible system continues to let down the brilliant, as well as the not-so-academically-gifted, children of this country.
Let me get a few things clear, however: I am not against education—education frees the soul and gives those who acquire it unbelievable power. I want to be educated, and I have done a lot to learn about the world myself—not through school. I love learning: reading, writing, studying interesting topics, sprinting down the Wikipedia rabbithole, or researching microplastics in dolphin samples—these are some of my favorite things in the world. And, they are what I spend doing in my pastime (i.e. — when I’m not buried under homework or exams.) On top of this, I genuinely enjoy conversations with my intellectual peers, which is rare to have at school—but when it happens, I enjoy it thoroughly.
But funnily enough, the education system fulfills very few of my intellectual needs. The Big Brother has actually, somehow, made learning less enjoyable than it really is. And the big question we must ask ourselves as a state (and country) is: Why do so many kids hate school??? Because when so many kids—including the ones who love learning—begin throwing away homework or giving up on their grades, there is an obvious problem that is ignored by politicians.
Before I lay out my arguments, let’s briefly look at the laws that have been passed in Texas.
Cell phone ban: NO personal communication devices (cell phones, personal iPads, Apple Watches, etc.) while on school property during the school day.
Ten Commandments: Requires public elementary and secondary schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom starting with the 2025-2026 school year. It has to be displayed where it can be seen on a 16" x 20" poster.
Allows time for prayer and reading religious texts: Requires school boards to vote on allowing designated prayer time. The bill allows schools to designate time during the school day for prayer and Bible reading.
Allows parents to restrict library materials from their student
Disciplinary action: I.S.S could only last 3 days. Now it can last however long the principle wants.
Here’s how I’ll do this: I’ll go through each ones and try to analyze it from a purely logical point of view.
The Cell Phone Ban:
I am a student who is sometimes gets bored in class, either because of a lack of good teaching or because the content is utterly uninteresting. In the past, I would pay full attention to the lecture and then subsequently, after the instructor was done, pull out my phone to catch up with texts and chats, some of which were with my parents, who I frequently contact due to volatile plans.
To be continued.
