A Stronger Core
What to know: Lawmakers are increasingly involved in what colleges and universities teach — by deciding what their “core” classes should be.
The TPPF take: Those core classes are important.
“A genuine core is not a cafeteria of disconnected distribution requirements,” says TPPF’s Tom Lindsay. “It is a coherent course of study organized around the central questions of human existence and self-government. The current statewide core of 42 hours in Texas is among the more substantial in the nation. Some now urge shrinking it in the name of efficiency or workforce alignment. But that won’t help our students.”
Flock Cameras
What to know: Flock surveillance cameras are surging in Texas, according to the Texas Tribune.
The TPPF take: Proponents will quickly assert that these cameras only capture license plates, vehicle characteristics, distinguishing features (bumper stickers and license plate frames), time, and direction.
“But much like with brokers harvesting and selling your online data, it is not the individual data point that has inherent value,” says TPPF’s David Dunmoyer. “It’s the fact that there is a stunning arsenal of these data-siphoning cameras across the nation, connecting all of those data points to generate a larger, far more invasive picture than a single snapshot in time. And this is precisely why there has been a well-documented cadre of police officers making use of this database to monitor their wives, exes, or random strangers.”
Veterans Courts
What to know: Special courts for veterans can change lives for those who served our country.
The TPPF take: There are 15.7 million veterans living in the United States, and 31% have been arrested or incarcerated at some point in their post-service life.
“For too long, an administrative rule has allowed America to break its promise to veterans by denying them treatment for service-connected conditions while incarcerated,” says TPPF’s Joey Comley. “This is not only a moral failure, but also a mistake that undermines public safety. Our country owes veterans more than gratitude. It owes them the care they were promised in the moments they need it most.”