oh great! Ford and Jiggs you have hit a nerve!!

I'm in Austin, Tx and we have Robin Hood... I live in a low end house in a high end neighborhood. Of the $3200 property tax I paid, about $2200 was to A.I.S.D. Of that about 20-30% goes to the Robin Hood plan. We, AISD pay more than any other school district to RH. A statistic that gets quoted around here, is that AISD has a high number of 'free or reduced lunch' eligible kid - some might even claim the highest in the state. I quote that because the local school board states that. Why the nerve? Even at our 'good school' we, the parents still have to pay for all the extra activities. This year my 5th grader is going to an 'outdoor school' for a sum of $195 + the other activities he will do later in the year ($100 more) The schools are still good around here in my area - in fact our schools here are a selling point. People want to move in our area. But it is high white kids, although, I am seeing more Indians (India) in the neighborhood. Still about 60 - 70% white. Does the state of Texas work? For us, no. What really happens - is the poor school districts along the Texas Valley (Rio Grande) get to build a better football (opps - did I say that?) As far I have read, the school district in the valley are still performing about the same. Yes, they are high minority -well let just say it - illegal alien student population. (for the record - I am of Mexican-American descent - FORD knows my background) The way Robin Hood was designed - they were not going to steal from Houston ISD or Dallas ISD - they were too big to affect. So, Ausin ISD gets screwed and we pay higher taxes. Sorry, but if I'm ranting - it's that I have to pay so much and there is so little to show for it - that includes the Rio Grande kids.

Sure, my kids will be at an advantage because of the 'good schools' but as FORD knows, I'll do what I need to do make they act appropriately in the classroom and do their studies/homework.

Early in my career, someone told me that "anyone can help you get a job but it's up to you to keep it."