Judge rules school finance system unconstitutional

[Gothmog]

Greg Abbott is a bad attorney and losses yet another major case http://www.chron.com/news/politics/texas/article/Judge-rules-school-finance-system-5718242.php

AUSTIN -- A judge on Thursday again declared Texas' school finance system unconstitutional, reaffirming his 2013 ruling that struck down the current mode of funding public education as inefficient and inadequate.

The office of Attorney General Greg Abbott, who is representing the state, has said it would appeal if the judge ruled for the four plaintiff groups representing more than 600 school districts, including Houston ISD and Cypress-Fairbanks ISD in Harris County.

Abbott is expected to ask to bypass an intermediate appeals court in favor of kicking the case up to the Texas Supreme Court.

The 400-page ruling issued Thursday was the latest salvo in nearly two years of litigation, and marked another major victory for the plaintiffs representing nearly three in four Texas schoolchildren. They challenged the adequacy and equality of the Texas' public education funding, suing the state after lawmakers cut $5.4 billion from the budget in 2011.

Greg tried to get the judge removed because he knew that he was losing this case. This will be an issue in the governor's race

[Fred Sanders]

1. The Texas Supreme Court is jam packed with partisan appointments, will they abandon their

politics in favor of common sense and the rule of law?

[Gothmog]

2. The Texas Democratic Party has already issued a statement on this ruling

The State Democratic Party has already commented on this ruling http://www.chron.com/news/politics/texas/article/Judge-rules-school-finance-system-5718242.php

The Texas Democratic Party was quick to release a statement tying Dietz's decision to Abbott, the Republican gubernatorial nominee, as well as GOP lieutenant governor candidate Dan Patrick and Glenn Hagar, the GOP candidate for Texas comptroller.

"Republicans like Sens. Dan Patrick and Glenn Hegar have touted their education cuts as a victory, and Attorney General Greg Abbott defended those cuts in court," Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said. "The decision today is clear: these cuts were bad for Texas students and our state."

David Hinojosa, Southwest Regional Counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, said the ruling was especially important for Texas' Spanish speaking students.

"This is a resounding victory for Texas public schools and schoolchildren, especially for the state's most at- risk and vulnerable children like economically disadvantaged and English language learner students," said Hinojosa, whose group represents five school districts representing low-income students. "Although low income students constitute the majority of public school students, clearly they constitute the minority when it comes to a political interest. And this judgment holds the states feet to the fire."