The Tyler Paper’s exceptional and thorough series, “Plaguing Prisons,” is helping to shine the spotlight on how the coronavirus pandemic affects those in jails and prisons. Reporter Cory McCoy reminds us that the measures we’re taking to protect ourselves, from social distancing to frequent hand-washing and the use of hand sanitizers, are all but impossible...
Prison bars do a good job of keeping those incarcerated from getting out, but sadly they don’t keep viruses from coming in. Indeed, as of April 22, two of the top five locations in the United States for coronavirus infections were prisons in Ohio. Even if a prison never admitted or released anyone, staff and contractors come...
We’ve been sheltering in place now for months, or what feels like months, and I am continually tortured by hearing R.E.M.’s “It’s The End of the World” in my head. It may seem like this really is the end of the world—but it’s not. And I believe it is time to get that song out...
Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk threatened to move his company headquarters and manufacturing plant, California’s sole remaining auto factory, out of state — to Texas and Nevada. Neither Texas nor Nevada has an individual income tax and their corporate taxes are lower, as well. With California’s higher taxes, greater red tape compliance costs, higher labor and land costs, and...
It should come as no surprise that the coronavirus pandemic is taking a larger economic toll on our most vulnerable populations. A 2016 study by Pew Research Center found that at $17,100, the median net worth of black households was less than one-fifth that of all U.S. households ($97,300), meaning they have much less in savings, if...
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) issued its official employment report for April—or, in this season of COVID-19, more appropriately, the unemployment report. The topline is that nonfarm payroll employment fell by 20.5 million jobs, with the unemployment rate jumping 10.3% to 14.7%, the highest one-month jump since these statistics started being tallied in 1948. Some...
As someone who has researched American higher education for the past three decades, one thing I can tell you is that it involves a lot of numbers. A lot of graphs. A lot of percentages. What it doesn’t provide is a lot of clarity. Why? It’s not the fault of the numbers gatherers, who are...
Danger is lurking inside our state prisons, and we can’t afford to delay action on safe and reasonable measures to mitigate it. Already, more than 1,300 incarcerated individuals and 400 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 in Texas. More cases are imminent, and coronavirus could spread rapidly, overwhelming staff, incarcerated individuals, and the prison...
The owners and workers of America’s businesses—both small and large—have done their part. When government called upon them, they stepped up by shutting down, though many of them were unsure whether they would ever reopen or return. This is America and we will come back. There aren’t a more resourceful and resilient people on the...
In recent years, Texas has emerged as a national leader in cutting crime and closing prisons. Now, as we confront COVID-19, state and local leaders must recognize the health of our fellow Texans behind bars, both those incarcerated and staff, is intertwined with the health of our communities. Coronavirus cases have mushroomed in the state...
For years, there has been a low-level debate simmering about whether college is worth it. This debate has been somewhat maddening for both sides. The “yes, college is worth it” side notes that reliable data sources, such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, say education pays. And the College Board’s annual report, also titled Education Pays, consistently...
Imagine if a state enacted a law that wound up banning the use of the latest medical technology during a crisis. Practically speaking, that is what Texas has done in education. In 2013, the state of Texas passed a law prohibiting any new public school districts from offering full-time online education. The law said only...