Public commenter says recent state legislation drained public school funding, urges robust civics curriculum
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Summary
Kevin Samuelson told the board that recent Texas legislative actions have redirected billions from public education and proposed a local civics course to teach students how to track legislative funding and its effects on schools.
Kevin Samuelson spoke during public comment and urged Comal ISD trustees to recognize legislative funding changes as a driver of district budget pressure and to consider a stronger civics course for high school students.
Samuelson said he reviewed state measures from the recent legislative session and described a suite of bills that he said redirected billions away from public education. He cited, by name, House Bill 9, House Bill 42, House Bill 120 and Senate Bill 2 as examples of measures that he told the board had shifted funds or created programs that divert money from the foundation school program.
Samuelson proposed that the district adopt a more detailed civics curriculum to teach juniors and seniors to read bills, track funding flows and understand how carve-outs and voucher-like programs affect local school budgets. He said he had drafted a curriculum he described as longer than the one-week lesson he said House Bill 824 would require and offered it to the district.
The remarks were received as public comment; board members did not take action on his suggestions during the meeting.