Judge Makes Economic Case for Funding Education

When State District Judge John Dietz sided with school districts in their lawsuit over state funding, he cited three primary reasons to support public education: civic, altruistic and economic.

The civic aspect dates to 1876, when the Texas Constitution required the state to establish public schools. That was recognition of the role that education plays in a democracy.

As a society, we collectively agree to fund schools, he said, because people realize how education affected their lives. And they know that children don’t the money to pay for schools themselves.