Blog Stage 8

I agree with Pooja Finavia’s commentary titled Texas needs a quality child care rating system. She did a decent job in providing examples of the type of things that have occurred in a child care and the reasons why it is important that Texas enacts a quality child care rating system for all licensed child cares. She also providing information on why it is important that children have quality child care. As well as the benefits a quality child care can have on a child, such as guiding children toward developing strong emotional bonds, social and emotional skill, and school readiness. Finavia also made a good point with the fact that a lot of parents do not know what to look for in a child care and with a quality child care rating system this could help parents make more informed decisions on their child care. Also, to hear that 48 other states have already implemented a quality child care rating system for all licensed child care facilities and Texas hasn’t is alarming and disappointing. It is time for Texas to step up and include all license child cares into a quality child care rating system.

Blog Stage #7 Texas Should Raise its Minimum Wage

I would like to take this opportunity to expand on my previous topic of Texas raising the minimum wage. As I mentioned in my previous commentary, Texas should raise its minimum wage. According to Talk Poverty as of 2015 Texas has a population of over 26 million with over 4.5 million of its population living in poverty. An increase in minimum wage would target the poorest families by removing millions of families out of poverty. Removing families out of poverty would reduce the cost of welfare programs. As well as decrease the number of families struggling to afford rent. A raise in wages is also beneficial to public health. Raising minimum wage will put more money into our local economy and a rise in the economy would affect not only the ones working at the current minimum wage but also those that are making above the minimum wage. Also, most minimum wage workers are women, so raising the minimum wage would raise the income for many women and this could help address and shorten the gap in gender equality. With all the reason listed above Texas could benefit from raising the minimum wage so it is time for Texas to address this issue.