The Week in Quotes (Feb. 19 – 25)

Here are some of the week’s most notable quotes culled from news reports from across Texas, and beyond.

Author Barbara Miner, on the confirmation of Betsy DeVos as Donald Trump’s education secretary.

With DeVos’ confirmation, the entire country now must answer this question: If public education is an essential bedrock of our democracy, why are we undermining it?

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Donald Rhodes, superintendent of the Damon Independent School District, in one of the many messages received by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick expressing opposition to the “bathroom bill.”

While this issue is one that is major concern for you, I personally feel there are far more immediate concerns weighing on my district. While you advocate for charter schools and vouchers without adding new money for such programs, and deducting such funds from public education, I spend my days serving a campus with 100 percent of my students receive a free or reduced price lunch.

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U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks, issuing a ruling with heavy criticism for Texas officials’ efforts to cut Planned Parenthood from Medicaid funding.

A secretly recorded video, fake names, a grand jury indictment, congressional investigations — these are the building blocks of a best-selling novel rather than a case concerning the interplay of federal and state authority through the Medicaid program. Yet, rather than a villain plotting to take over the world, the subject of this case is the State of Texas’s efforts to expel a group of health care providers from a social health care program for families and individuals with limited resources.

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Lou Weaver, the transgender program coordinator for LGBT rights group Equality Texas, on the Trump administration doing away with federal protections for transgender students.

This is a demoralizing step for our president to take. It absolutely threatens the ability of transgender students to go to school in safe and supportive environments.

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Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on the Democratic Party’s base.

There is a technical term for their base. Bat crap crazy.

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Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert, citing the Gabby Giffords shooting as the reason he has refused to hold public town hall meetings with his constituents.

Threats are nothing new to me, and I have gotten my share as a felony judge. However, the House Sergeant at Arms advised us after former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was shot at a public appearance, that civilian attendees at Congressional public events stand the most chance of being harmed or killed — just as happened there.