Want to have a High School named after you?

I’m not one to comment on local issues all that much, but today our own Hometown edition of Pravda (AKA The Houston Chronicle) has a story about the Houston Independent School District’s newest revenue scheme.

It seems someone at HISD thinks that it would be a great idea to sell naming rights to the districts sports stadiums. I can see it now the Landmark Chevrolet Field at Robert E. Lee High, The Dr. Martin Luther King Middle School Auto Zone Track. The 420 Smoke Shop Park at Graham Elementary School.

How much influence will the sponsors have over the grounds? Will there be attendance requirements in the programs? Is this the best way to approach the problem of funding?

I think not. One of the major reasons, besides waste, in the funding issues is the Robin Hood School Finance program we have in Texas. Districts like HISD have to give a large portion of their collected taxes to poorer districts where the income levels are a lot lower. So for example Lovelady, TX a town of less than 800 people gets piece of HISD’s taxes that were collected from over 4 million people. I do understand that the smaller towns do need assistance, but it is coming at the expense of the urban schools, the ones that are always being touted as under funded and under staffed. HISD has a lame idea in the naming rights, but at least they are trying to address their own monetary issues without asking others to pay it.



Secret message of the day:
Always keep notes as if you know the federal prosecutor will end up with them.


.