A panel discussion at the Texas Public Policy Foundation had bold words for congregations across the Lone Star State.
The panel, part of Tuesday’s “Pastors and Parishioners Parent Empowerment Summit,” featured State Reps. Nate Schatzline (R-Fort Worth), Steve Toth (R-Conroe), and Cody Vasut (R-Angleton). Each is an ordained minister. TPPF’s Mandy Drogin served as the moderator.
Drogin opened the discussion by outlining four pillars of parental empowerment: transparency, quality, respect, and choice. Drogin explained that “each parent deserves to know what their child is learning and why they are learning it.” She then detailed several instances where government school districts had failed to provide respectful answers when questioned by parents.
Schatzline opened by discussing how “public schools are failing our children academically and spiritually.” He continued with a discussion of how educational issues in Tarrant County led to his own political involvement and where local conservative activists have flipped 62 school board seats in recent years. Schatzline also decried how “Romans 13 was weaponized against the Church for all of 2020” and pointed out that that verse of Scripture commands rulers to be subject to the people.
“If the Church does not reform the culture, the culture will reform the church,” Schatzline continued.
Toth charged, “The body of Christ to come together and speak truth.” In explaining the need for changing policy, he said that “we’ve got different people bringing different doctrines” into schools. As an example, he cited a book in Conroe ISD libraries that includes a literal how-to guide for children to engage in so-called “gender transitions” without informing their parents.
Vasut said he wasn’t aware of problematic content in his local district, but that he had become convinced based on what he’d seen in other districts that statewide action is necessary.
State Rep. James Talarico (D-Austin) faced special derision from the panelists, as despite claiming to be a Christian, Talarico holds a number of views antithetical to Scripture. Toth called him a “false teacher.”
Another organization that faced scorn was “Pastors for Texas Children,” a group whose perfidy Texas Scorecard has documented in detail. Drogin called them “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” Schatzline declared, “I’m ok as long as they don’t call themselves Christian pastors,” citing their support for a number of issues antithetical to Scripture, including the genital mutilation of children.
The Texas legislature is expected to take up parental empowerment legislation early in its 2025 session.
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