When Texas Gov. Greg Abbott visits Tyler Thursday evening, he’ll bring a clear and simple message: Texas parents have the right to direct the upbringing—and education—of their children. There’s much, much more to the governor’s plan—and for the future of Texas education. Yet despite the vast body of evidence demonstrating that parent empowerment improves education...
DALLAS—Bonton was supposed to be a haven from the crime, the drugs and the poverty. That’s how Daris Lee’s father found himself in the small, secluded Dallas community. Daris’ father was sent from California to live with relatives in Bonton. But it proved to be no haven at all; Daris’ father soon became involved with...
ATLANTA—When the American Medical Association, the Children’s Hospital Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics ask the U.S. attorney general to investigate and prosecute dissenters to the woke gender agenda, they’re talking about Dr. Quentin Van Meter—among others. One of the nation’s leading pediatric endocrinologists (the kind of doctor who deals regularly with children, their...
WAUCHULA, Fla.—It wasn’t even about the kids—at least, not at first. Julie Taylor began planning the Alane Academy in tiny Wauchula, Florida because she felt unfulfilled as a teacher. “I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, and I was—I was a public school teacher for seven years,” the head of the 75-student rural...
FALFURRIAS—When Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent a busload of illegal immigrants to New York City, the Big Apple’s Mayor Eric Adams said the action was “horrific.” That’s a poor choice of words, according to Brooks County Deputy Don White. As the deputy tasked with search and rescue in the county with the highest number of...
UTAH—The raging camper fire blocked traffic in both directions. The family pulling the camper had managed to uncouple their truck and were a safe distance away, but the nearest fire department was half an hour out. The sole highway patrolman on the scene could do little but watch. Yet one of the vehicles closest to...
“Spanish Dagger” is a yucca plant common in these wide plains of the West Texas. Its leaves contain a fiber the Native Americans often used to sew together animal hides—the tough fiber. Cattle rancher Ann Mitchell is that tough fiber. Ann’s family has owned the Spanish Dagger Ranch for nearly a century—and every ounce of toughness...
TYLER—Victor Zillmer keeps the prices on his fresh berries, vegetables and jams as low as he can—but lately, he’s having to raise those prices more and more. It’s all due to two closely related costs: diesel fuel and fertilizer. On this warm June morning, he’s driven into Tyler from nearby Lindale with a truck full...
LEWISVILLE—It took a moment, and you could almost hear the synapses buzzing throughout the Founders Classical Academy classroom. Finally, one student, Sam, raised her hand. History teacher (and assistant headmaster) Alex Misko had challenged his class to compare and contrast the American Revolution and the French Revolution. One resulted in the greatest, most prosperous and...
KINGSVILLE—The story of Texas is a story of adaption and resilience. The only alternative, really, is death. Nowhere is that more clear than here on the iconic King Ranch, with its 825,000 acres of inhospitality, patches of impassible scrub, and a dry vastness that calls for every ounce of Texas grit and ingenuity to overcome....
HARLINGEN—When Andrea Barrera had her baby, both she and her husband were very young—and very scared. She had her first appointment with the pediatrician, but it felt far too rushed. “I was confused, about everything, and I needed guidance,” she said. “I had questions. I didn’t get answers.” The pediatrician was covered by Medicaid, but...
What does a modern chemistry class have to do with classical education? Founders Classical Academy teacher Myles Dempsey doesn’t even pause for a moment: “Everything.” Students have just filed out from lab class, where they performed experiments with salt solutions. Mr. Dempsey is preparing for his next class. “Don’t you see?” he asks. “We’re in...