This week, a handful of lawmakers have met behind closed doors, struggling to hammer out a final agreement on the state budget.

Thanks to House Republicans, negotiations have ground to a halt over a single issue: education. Republicans already pushed to cut billions from our public schools. Now, they are holding firm against restoring the money needed to pay for things like math, reading, and science initiatives, or even Pre-Kindergarten programs. They’ve also succeeded in making sure the Rainy Day Fund is not used to protect our kids’ futures.

Republicans have shown more interest in giving tax breaks to yacht owners, and in protecting the $1 billion-a-year tax giveaway to some of the biggest players in the oil and gas industry, than in restoring the $8 billion they voted to cut from public schools. But, still no agreement on what it takes to run our schools and give our kids a solid chance to succeed in tough economic times.

Texas parents are speaking out loudly and clearly against these cuts, and Democrats have heard the message. Democrats are demanding action now to save our public schools.

Yesterday, Democratic State Representatives Lon Burnam, Joaquin Castro, Jessica Farrar, Pete Gallego, Hubert Vo and Armando Walle released the following statement:

“On behalf of Texas school children, House Democrats are drawing a line in the sand. Democrats will not support the proposed Republican “accounting gimmicks” to balance the budget without a chance to use the Rainy Day Fund.

“House members who have the courage to tap the Rainy Day Fund must step forward and declare their support for Texas public schools. Those who fear the Tea Partiers and other extremist groups are abandoning our children.

“Texans deserve to know who’s for and who’s against our public schools.

“Make no mistake. Some neighborhood schools are closing. Pre-Kindergarten for 100,000 kids, programs that teach kids music and art, advanced placement courses in math and science – they’re all under threat. Voting for a budget that leaves out the Rainy Day Fund is a vote to kill these programs.

“Because of past education cuts, the Texas dropout rate is near the top and the graduation rate is near the bottom. More cuts will put the future of our kids and our state on a path to failure.

“However, those in control appear dead-set on crippling public schools that were already hurting. In closed door meetings, they’re arguing over band aids and accounting tricks that only make the structural deficit – a problem they created – worse in the long run. They want Texas to take out a payday loan while we’re sitting on billions in our savings account.

“House Democrats are challenging those in charge to pick a side. Are you for kids? Are you willing to protect their future? Are you with the extremists who would slash and burn our kids’ best opportunity to build a successful life?

“We won’t be an accomplice to a deadbeat budget. We won’t “go along to get along” in a Legislature when the Legislature is wrong. We will fight for our children and our state’s future to the very end.”