May 29, 2015 5:01 PM

Big media campaign on education issues lays out gaps in ethics law

Texans for Education Reform denies relationship with group that filled the airwaves with commercials during the legislative session.

Education groups are frustrated there is very little talk, if any, about the broad-scale mass media efforts they believe are tied back to Texans for Education Reform this session.

In television markets across the state, Texans Deserve Great Schools, has run wall-to-wall ads touting changes it considers to be crucial to fix schools.

“Every Texas parent wants better schools,” the narrator says in the commercial. “Here are steps we can take now to make a difference.” Then the ad goes on to suggest the achievement district and “A” through “F” grading system would be positive changes any parent could support.

“Why isn’t anyone talking about these ads?” one lobbyist groused this week, noting how much effort was being put into what many consider to be an education reform movement that is anti-public schools. “We’re getting nothing passed. We have to spend all our time beating back these bad ideas.”

By Kimberly Reeves