Kathy Hillman: Poster board, popcorn and public school

“By wisdom a house is built…through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.” (Proverbs 24:3-4)

When I was elected president of Texas Baptists, notes from friends evoked special memories. One came as a precious surprise. My thoughts turned back the years to a group I taught in Girls in Action.

Kathy HillmanAndrea (not her real name) never mentioned her father, but her mother faithfully brought her and her younger sister to church. Andrea didn’t wear the same clothes as the other girls or chatter about the same things. She sometimes seemed sad, but Andrea loved her “sissy,” always asking if she could take leftover refreshments to her. 

One evening after we dismissed, Andrea waited—I assumed so she could have leftover popcorn. Hesitantly, she asked if I could please give her a piece of poster board. I opened my mouth to question her, but her pleading eyes took the words away. Instead, I heard myself say, “What color?” I glanced at the empty staff office as I headed for the resource room. As she hurried away, Andrea profusely thanked me for the cardboard and the popcorn. 

Later, I confessed to Columbus Avenue Baptist Church’s children’s minister and offered to replace the poster board. Mrs. Cresson shared Andrea’s situation, assuring me not to hesitate whenever Andrea or her sister needed school supplies. The church would provide. Sadly, I was blind to needs in front of me every Wednesday night.

Barbara Cunningham mentors a student at Brook Avenue Elementary School in Waco. (Photo: Columbus Avenue Baptist Church, Waco)Unfortunately, Andrea isn’t unique among more than 5.1 million students in Texas public schools. According to the 2013-14 enrollment report prepared by the Texas Education Agency, nearly 3.1 million of those children live in economically disadvantaged families. That means 60.1 percent of all students qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. In the Waco Independent School District, it’s 91 percent. Texas public schools also identify 17.5 percent as English language learners. 

Article 7 of the Texas Constitution requires “support and maintenance of … public free schools” open to every boy and girl. Yet in spite of increasing numbers of disadvantaged children and English language learners, the Legislature stripped $5.4 billion from public education in 2011. The decrease forced districts into tough decisions. Some cut back pre-kindergarten and after-school programs. Many librarians, counselors, fine-arts and English-as-a-Second-Language teachers lost their jobs. Although lawmakers restored $3.4 billion in 2013, Texas has the fifth-lowest average expenditure per child among the states at $8,275, according to National Education Association research.

Brook Avenue Elementary School students and their mentors at a Christmas party sponsored by Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco. (Photo: Kathy Hillman)About 70 percent of Texas voters, like my husband and me, don’t have school-aged children. We sometimes forget our vested interest, even though I taught two years in public school. The success of our state is tied to public education. The Texas Constitution emphasizes knowledge is “essential to the preservation of the liberties and rights of the people.” In addition to praying and paying property taxes, we as individuals and churches can make a difference in the future of Texas children. 

Pastors for Texas Children provides information and ideas. Founded by Texas Baptist Charles Foster Johnson, the group of pastors and church leaders is dedicated to providing care and ministry to local schools, to supporting public education, to promoting social justice for children and to advancing legislation that enriches Texas children, families and communities. 

Individually and as churches, we can:

• Study educational issues.

• Lobby legislators through e-mail, letters, calls and visits for positions that put children first. 

• Advocate for programs such as high-quality, full-day pre-kindergarten that yields significant benefits, particularly among disadvantaged and English language learners. 

• Meet with local principals to learn about needs and how best to help—winter coats, supplies, backpack feeding programs, chaperoning field trips, tutoring, etc.

• Publicly demonstrate support and appreciation for administrators, teachers and support staff. 

• Adopt a class. Teachers annually spend an average of $485 of their own money for supplies and instructional materials. Even a small congregation could furnish poster board for a teacher or school.

• Mentor. Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco focuses on Brook Avenue Elementary to provide one adult for one child for one hour once a week

• Create a school-church partnership.

We can do much to help the Andreas in our communities so their stories, like hers, have happy endings. By high school, Andrea joined a Baptist church nearer her home where she saw a flyer about prayer-walking neighborhood schools. She talked her pastor into participating with her, and we reconnected through the event. Today, Andrea is a successful public high school graduate who found the support and encouragement she needed through Texas Baptists. 

Kathy Hillman is president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. She also is director of Baptist collections, library advancement and the Keston Center for Religion, Politics and Society at Baylor University.