THE WATER COOLER FROM FACEBOOK. COM/STATESMAN

Gov. Greg Abbott named early education as his first emergency legislative priority earlier this year, backing a pre-kindergarten improvement program. Last week, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s so-called Grassroots Advisory Board sent a letter to Texas senators that described the program as “socialistic” and one “that removes our young children from homes and half-day religious preschools and mothers’ day out programs to a Godless environment with only evidence showing absolutely NO LONG-TERM BENEFITS beyond the 1st grade.” Patrick said in a statement that the letter was “unsolicited” and he had not seen it until it was distributed to the Senate.

Sharon Richard: As a 16-year teacher, I say that teachers do God’s work in their public school classrooms every day. And we don’t need studies to know that giving our little ones a great start at a young age is beneficial in so many ways.

Amanda Brown: Mandatory pre-K is not a good plan. Besides, as long as home schooling is legal, you don’t HAVE to send your kid to a pre-K, kindergarten or any school, for that matter, if you don’t want to.

Jeff Smaistrla: I’ve seen no advantage to pre-school. The answer to education is always to throw more money, more teachers at it because “we just cannot do enough for our children.” It now requires a college degree to work at Avis at the rental counter as with many companies. A college degree is now $100,000. ... The brilliance of the highly educated. Thirty years ago these were jobs people got out of high school. But we still don’t have enough; kids must start school at 2 to get that job at Avis.

Megan Pecoraro: I would GLADLY stay home with my babies if the Texas government offered any support to mothers who choose to do so. Hypocrites.

Carole Durdin Steindorff: Over half of those children receive a more nutritious breakfast and lunch than they would get at home AND they get the love and attention they are missing at home as well. Not all homes today are “Leave It to Beaver” homes anymore!

Chante Bergmann Dennis: The government-run pre-K will only be open to the groups it is already for. If you are paying for a program you probably don’t qualify now or ever unless you’ve made it a priority in your budget. A quality, full-time preschool in the Austin metro area runs $700+ a month for a 4-year-old. Plus annual enrollment fees and supply fees.