Latest news with #AmarilloISD
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Abbott signs laws restricting phone use in Texas schools during Amarillo visit
Gov. Greg Abbott visited Amarillo ISD's AmTech Career Academy on Friday, Aug. 1 to sign House Bill 1481, a new state law requiring Texas public schools to adopt policies limiting student smartphone use during instructional time. Surrounded by students, educators and local leaders, Abbott said the law will help address growing concerns about classroom distractions, digital addiction and student well-being. 'This law gives schools the tools to help students focus on learning and protects them from the growing harms of overexposure to screens and social media,' Abbott said. 'And more importantly, it returns control to parents.' Abbott was joined by state Rep. Caroline Fairly of Amarillo — the bill's author — as well as House Speaker Dustin Burrows of Lubbock, Rep. Jared Patterson of Frisco, Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock, Amarillo ISD Superintendent Dr. Deidre Parish and Amarillo High School teacher Mellessa Denny. The legislation, which goes into effect during the 2025–2026 school year, requires all public and open-enrollment charter schools in Texas to establish campus policies that either collect and store students' personal communication devices during the day or ban them outright. The law applies to smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, pagers, radios and similar devices. Abbott said House Bill 1481 is one part of a larger strategy to protect students and restore order in Texas classrooms. 'We've increased funding for school safety, we've expanded mental health services, and we're even exploring new technologies — like drones — to keep campuses secure,' Abbott said. 'Some of those tools are being developed right here at AmTech.' He also signed Senate Bill 2420, which requires app stores to verify users' ages and obtain parental consent before minors can download apps or make in-app purchases — a measure he described as critical to fighting online exploitation. 'These bills work together,' Abbott said. 'One limits distractions in the classroom. The other protects children from dangerous online content and restores parental authority in the digital space.' Rep. Fairly, a first-term lawmaker and Amarillo native, said the bill was shaped by input from local teachers, parents and mental health professionals. 'I grew up in a digital world, and I've seen firsthand how devices can distract and damage mental health,' Fairly said. 'This bill isn't about punishment — it's about creating space for students to be present, to focus, and to thrive.' Abbott praised Amarillo ISD for leading the way with its own phone restriction policy, adopted last year. Superintendent Parish said the local effort served as proof of concept. 'The results have been overwhelmingly positive,' Parish said. 'Students are more engaged, and teachers have greater control of the classroom.' Denny, who teaches at Amarillo High, said her students quickly adjusted. 'When students put their phones away, they're not just listening to me — they're listening to each other,' she said. 'That creates real learning.' Speaker Burrows, who helped steer the bill through the House, said the legislation comes at a time when Texas is investing heavily in its public education system. 'We've made historic investments in schools, teachers, and student safety,' Burrows said. 'But if students are glued to their phones, none of that matters. These bills help restore focus and discipline in classrooms across the state.' Abbott also highlighted AmTech's role in preparing students for high-paying careers in robotics, drone operations and advanced manufacturing. 'Programs like this are exactly what Texas needs to stay ahead,' he said. 'We're not just limiting distractions — we're investing in excellence and the future of our economy.' Fairly closed her remarks by reflecting on the community's role in helping pass the bill. 'This legislation came from the people of Amarillo — teachers, parents, mental health experts and even students,' she said. 'I'm proud it started here and grateful we can lead the way.' This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Abbott visits Amarillo to tout cellphone school bills Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Beto O'Rourke to host Amarillo town hall, says Panhandle must be taken seriously
Former U.S. Congressman Beto O'Rourke will hold a town hall meeting Saturday at the Amarillo Civic Center as part of a statewide tour aimed at encouraging civic engagement, highlighting key policy issues, and showing up for communities often overlooked by political campaigns. 'This thing is open to everybody — and I mean everybody,' O'Rourke said in an interview ahead of the event. 'We've been coming to Amarillo for a really long time, but it's important that we show up for each other not just when our name's on the ballot.' The town hall is scheduled for 1 p.m. and is free to attend. O'Rourke emphasized that people of all political ideologies are encouraged to come, ask questions and participate in the discussion. 'We've had Republicans, Democrats, independents — folks of all kinds — showing up to these events,' he said. 'It's not about party. It's about listening, understanding, and realizing we're going through many of the same challenges together.' He cited public school vouchers, rural hospital closures, and proposed cuts to veterans' services as top concerns he's heard from Texans in recent months. 'We're going through some really big changes as a country, and I would argue communities in and around Potter and Randall counties are seeing some of the biggest impacts,' he said. O'Rourke pointed to the school voucher bill advancing through the Texas Legislature now signed into law, warning it will harm rural communities that already lack educational alternatives. Many Panhandle counties — including those in Texas' 13th Congressional District — have few or no private schools. Students in rural areas may be forced to travel long distances to urban centers like Amarillo to even attempt to use the proposed education savings accounts, and only if private institutions agree to accept them. 'This voucher program doesn't expand choice for rural Texans — it just pulls public funds away from their local schools,' O'Rourke said. In a February 2025 post, O'Rourke warned that the legislation would lead to 'fewer teachers, more school closures, and higher property taxes' as districts are forced to make cuts to compensate for reduced funding. The funding problem is already hitting home in Amarillo. Amarillo ISD already announced it will close three elementary schools at the end of the current school year. District officials cited declining enrollment and long-term budget pressures as key reasons. O'Rourke said voucher-driven divestment could force more difficult decisions in the future. He also warned that proposed cuts to Medicaid could accelerate rural hospital closures. One in four rural hospitals in Texas is currently at risk of closing, he said, and the state already leads the nation in closures. O'Rourke expressed concern over the Department of Veterans Affairs' plan to cut approximately 83,000 jobs, noting that about one-quarter of VA employees are veterans themselves. 'These aren't partisan issues,' he said. 'They're issues that hurt people — and we need to come together to talk about them.' O'Rourke criticized the Democratic Party's failure to run candidates in deeply Republican areas, saying it leaves voters without a real choice and undermines the democratic process. 'In the last election, nobody even ran against Ronny Jackson,' he said, referring to the Republican congressman who ran unopposed in 2024 for re-election to represent Texas' 13th Congressional District, which includes Amarillo. 'I understand the odds are long, but it's not about winning every race — it's about giving people a choice. If there's no contest, there's no conversation about ideas, no debate, no accountability.' He said communities like Amarillo deserve attention, resources, and viable candidates from all sides of the political spectrum. 'Democrats aren't going to win states like Texas until they start taking places like Amarillo seriously,' O'Rourke said. 'And that means showing up, listening, and supporting local leaders year-round — not just in election season.' O'Rourke said he's held about a half-dozen similar town halls in recent weeks in places like Mansfield, Wichita Falls and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, with more scheduled across Texas. Although O'Rourke has not formally announced any future campaign plans, he said he's committed to being present in every part of the state and helping where he can. 'If the answer is holding town halls, running voter registration drives, or just listening — then that's what I'm going to do,' he said. 'And if it turns out the best way I can help is by running for office again, then I'll do that too.' O'Rourke said he hopes Saturday's town hall will empower attendees to take action — whether by voting, volunteering, or even considering a run for office. 'Amarillo always shows up,' he said. 'And I always leave more optimistic than when I came.' This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Beto O'Rourke brings town hall to Amarillo to discuss education, rural issues
