What’s the purpose of city government?
Most people would probably say that cities exist to police the roads, to fill the potholes, and to put out house fires. But at least some Austin bureaucrats also believe that it’s the city’s role to also teach your kids about sex.
Over the weekend, the Austin Public Library put out a call to all high school students to: “Get PAID to Learn about sex education over spring break!” Participating students are eligible to earn “up to $100 for attending!”
Whether you agree with the curriculum or not is beside the point. It’s not the role of Austin city government—or any municipal government, for that matter—to use taxpayer money to teach kids about sex. It’s not what taxpayers expect from city hall nor is it consistent with the founding ideals around city governance.
To make matters worse, Austin’s absurd overreach comes at a time when it’s so obviously failing at its core functions. Homicides are at an all-time high. An affordability crisis is raging. Homelessness is still on the rise. Property taxes are out of control.
City hall needs to get back to the basics—and leave kids alone.