Misplaced priorities

Regarding “TEA suspends special ed cap,” (Page A1, Thursday), I am not surprised but very sad that the Texas Education Agency refuses to admit that it had placed a “cap” on the number of students who could be classified as Special Education students in order to save money for the state education system. Even though all evidence points to that fact, they continue to deny it.

Our students are our future and yet Texas legislators refuse to invest in that future.

At a time when the state Legislature has invested $800 million in the current state budget for expansion of the Department of Public Safety for Texas/Mexico security, and DPS is seeking $295 million more in the next two years for the same purpose, we are shortchanging our special needs children by having a “cap” on the number of students who can seek help for their disabilities.

In 2000, the U.S. Border Patrol apprehended approximately 1.6 million illegal immigrants attempting to cross the Texas/Mexico border. Since 2012, the number of apprehensions has dropped to between 300,000 to 400,000 per year. Far fewer people are attempting to cross illegally, and yet our Legislature would rather invest in increasing the DPS budget than our children. Has our hate for the illegal immigrant overcome our love for our children?

Jose Rodriquez, Huntsville