# I pit the Houston Independent School District **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 25, 2016, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624 "2016-05-25T03:29:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/41 "2016-05-25T23:40:49Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > OK, so he’s not actually the angry, frustrated grump he comes off as here? Good to know. He provides more evidence in favor of the [Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory](http://knowyourmeme.com/photos/325699-greater-internet-fuckwad-theory) > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **Clothahump** > So complaining about a waste of my tax dollars is making an idiot of myself? > > Fuck off. I’m just surprised he didn’t yell “SHITCOCK” ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/42 "2016-05-26T00:06:03Z")
_Liberty, patriotism, and civilization are on their knees before the men of the South, and with clasped hands and straining eyes are begging them to become Christians._ Yes, let’s erase this man from history. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/43 "2016-05-26T00:08:36Z")
Oh, and for a magnificent display of eloquence and maturity, see how the [woman](https://vimeo.com/163971619) leading the charge spoke to some young children questioning the decision. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/44 "2016-05-26T00:34:42Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > _Liberty, patriotism, and civilization are on their knees before the men of the South, and with clasped hands and straining eyes are begging them to become Christians._ > > Yes, let’s erase this man from history. Soooo…not naming schools after someone is erasing them from history? Interesting theory. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/45 "2016-05-26T03:00:43Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Oh, and for a magnificent display of eloquence and maturity, see how the [woman](https://vimeo.com/163971619) leading the charge spoke to some young children questioning the decision. Where’s the “like” button? ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/46 "2016-05-26T03:41:09Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > So complaining about a waste of my tax dollars is making an idiot of myself? > > Fuck off. Not specifically. But generally speaking, you make an idiot out of yourself as many as six times before breakfast. ETA: Outside of political discussions, **Clothy** , I have no problem with you. It’s just your insistence that liberals/Democrats are worse than Hitler and Satan having a three-way with Pol Pot, even when you’ve been shown otherwise. It SEEMS like you won’t listen or be willing to consider a different perspective on things. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/47 "2016-05-26T04:22:59Z")
Did I miss what the enormous taxpayer bill is supposed to be for stuff like putting up different signs and getting new athletic uniforms? I’d be surprised if it wasn’t more than a tiny fraction of the overall budget. Good to see HISD take this action, given the slow and painful process of integrating the Houston public schools after the _Brown_ decision (by contrast, other public facilities in the city were integrated virtually overnight, as well as peacefully). ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/48 "2016-05-26T04:30:46Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Did I miss what the enormous taxpayer bill is supposed to be for stuff like putting up different signs and **getting new athletic uniforms?** I’d be surprised if it wasn’t more than a tiny fraction of the overall budget. > > Good to see HISD take this action, given the slow and painful process of integrating the Houston public schools after the _Brown_ decision (by contrast, other public facilities in the city were integrated virtually overnight, as well as peacefully). You’d be surprised what uniforms can run even for something simple like track/cross country. Easily 75-100 per athlete. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/49 "2016-05-26T13:39:24Z")
HISD seems to have issues bigger than names of schools. > **[Suspended HISD chief auditor: 'This district does not want the real dirt to...](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/education/article/Suspended-HISD-chief-auditor-This-district-does-7940973.php)** > > Houston's school board removed its chief auditor after he reported potential violations... ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/50 "2016-05-26T14:37:39Z")
> [@raventhief](#): > > HISD seems to have issues bigger than names of schools. > > [Suspended HISD chief auditor: 'This district does not want the real dirt to be published'](http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/education/article/Suspended-HISD-chief-auditor-This-district-does-7940973.php) I think that’s kind of C **lothy’s** point. Why are they spending money on what amounts to feel-good changes with no \*\*\*real \*\*\* impact, when the district has so many other issues that are more pressing? And FTR, all that crap in **running coach’s** post isn’t Houston ISD stuff; it’s all rich, suburban districts that are extremely well funded that are doing that stuff. HISD is none of those things- it’s primarily urban and poor. Criticizing HISD for the Katy, Allen or McKinney stadiums or about Ft. Worth technology is about as idiotic as criticizing Massachusetts lawmakers for something that was done in Georgia. They’re not even particularly close to Houston; Katy’s the closest, and that’s only near a far westward spur of HISD- most of the district is like 10 miles from Katy. McKinney and Allen are like 300 miles away north of Dallas. Fort Worth is equally far, and west of Dallas. Also… this isn’t chump change. [HISD estimates a quarter of a million dollars per school to rename them, which at 7 schools,](http://abc13.com/education/hisd-to-rename-3-more-schools-with-confederate-ties/1197316/) totals 1.75 million dollars. How many free lunches, textbooks, computers, iPads, teacher salaries, general maintenance items or other stuff could that be used for? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/51 "2016-05-26T14:44:32Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I think that’s kind of C **lothy’s** point. Why are they spending money on what amounts to feel-good changes with no \*\*\*real \*\*\* impact, when the district has so many other issues that are more pressing? > > And FTR, all that crap in **running coach’s** post isn’t Houston ISD stuff; it’s all rich, suburban districts that are extremely well funded that are doing that stuff. HISD is none of those things- it’s primarily urban and poor. Criticizing HISD for the Katy, Allen or McKinney stadiums or about Ft. Worth technology is about as idiotic as criticizing Massachusetts lawmakers for something that was done in Georgia. They’re not even particularly close to Houston; Katy’s the closest, and that’s only near a far westward spur of HISD- most of the district is like 10 miles from Katy. McKinney and Allen are like 300 miles away north of Dallas. Fort Worth is equally far, and west of Dallas. > > Also… this isn’t chump change. [HISD estimates a quarter of a million dollars per school to rename them, which at 7 schools,](http://abc13.com/education/hisd-to-rename-3-more-schools-with-confederate-ties/1197316/) totals 1.75 million dollars. > > **How many free lunches, textbooks, computers, iPads, teacher salaries, general maintenance items or other stuff could that be used for?** None. Isn’t that all stuff the PC crowd wants and is therefore bad? This is Texas, everything they know, they learned from a Bible and a football coach. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/52 "2016-05-26T14:48:28Z")
Where’s the pitting for theouverruns on $2 billion construction? or the violations alleged to have taken place? ---
**Author:** ![Subterraneanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Subterraneanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subterraneanus)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/53 "2016-05-26T14:51:11Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > No, this isn’t true. I’ve met Clothahump in person on several occasions. He’s a very pleasant and sociable person who’s generally happy with life. So he’s just stupid then? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/54 "2016-05-26T14:53:42Z")
[HISD budget](http://blogs.houstonisd.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/02/1516districtbudget_breakdown.jpg) $1,864,134,651 Seems like the cost of changing a few school names is pretty minuscule. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/55 "2016-05-26T17:10:04Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > So complaining about a waste of my tax dollars is making an idiot of myself? > > Fuck off. How many of your own personal tax dollars do you believe were wasted on this initiative? An approximation will do. Note: if it’s considerably less than a dollar, as I suspect it is, I’m afraid a pat on the head and a muttered “there, there” is about all the sympathy I can muster. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/56 "2016-05-26T19:16:21Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Oh, and for a magnificent display of eloquence and maturity, see how the [woman](https://vimeo.com/163971619) leading the charge spoke to some young children questioning the decision. Damn, I like her. Wish more people like that held office. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/57 "2016-05-27T15:19:27Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [HISD budget](http://blogs.houstonisd.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/02/1516districtbudget_breakdown.jpg) $1,864,134,651 > Seems like the cost of changing a few school names is pretty minuscule. It’s also spread across 283 schools and 213,000 students. The point isn’t so much that it’s not a small percentage of the district’s budget, but that in absolute terms, a LOT of money being spent for something that’s neither necessary nor particularly beneficial in educational terms. I mean, how does this help students learn, have better test scores, get into college, get a better career, stay in school, etc…? The answer is that it doesn’t. It _may_ make them less slightly annoyed when they happen to think about the genesis of their school’s name, but otherwise it doesn’t do a damn thing that’s useful within the context of a school district. It would be like the Army choosing to rename every base or installation named after a Confederate general. What does that do to help them fight wars? Not a damn thing. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/58 "2016-05-27T23:57:01Z")
> [@bump](#): > > II mean, how does this help students learn I’d say it has the potential to help them learn a fair bit about the Civil War, racism, politics and ethics, wouldn’t you? Of course, not changing the names would also be educational, in a way. It would really get the message across that the school district cares more about money than it does about the public shame of officially honoring people who fought a war for the perpetuation of human slavery. I noticed that nobody seems to have anything to say about the analogy with protests against streets in Quebec named after prominent Nazis that I posted about back in post #4. No dismay or disapproval about the proposed waste of taxpayer money in **that** case, I gather? ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2016, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/59 "2016-05-28T00:45:58Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > I noticed that nobody seems to have anything to say about the analogy with protests against streets in Quebec named after prominent Nazis that I posted about back in post #4. No dismay or disapproval about the proposed waste of taxpayer money in **that** case, I gather? I’ll give it a go… Doesn’t the province have better things to care about? I mean, how are they going to maintain their socialized medicine and their separatist politics if they’re spending 99% of their budget on street names? Somebody think of the _enfants_! ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2016, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624/60 "2016-05-28T00:50:45Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I haven’t met him, but I’ll stick up for him and point out that his argument seems to be more along the lines of questioning the monetary expenditure of changing the names, when HISD seems to be perpetually cash-strapped and not known for academic excellence on the whole, especially at most of the schools named for former Confederates. > > He’s not saying he’s angry because they’re changing the Confederate names, but rather questioning the changes because they take valuable resources away from the district’s core mission, i.e. educating students. > > That’s entirely fair, and doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with racism or anything like that… except that apparently criticizing politically correct actions is also politically incorrect and gets you excoriated. > > It’s almost as if the thinking is that it’s more important to change the names for feel-good reasons, than to spend those thousands of dollars on educational purposes, and you must be racist if you disagree. THANK YOU!!! Finally, somebody gets it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-houston-independent-school-district/755624.md?page=4)