<p>The only time I was able to find “culture” in the Education Article of the Texas Constitution is as it appears within the word agriculture. The most direct statement of purpose declares that the universities are to be created “for the promotion of literature, and the arts and sciences.” I never said that Texas’ universities should not promote culture and I’m definitely not advocating the wholesale abandonment of it. My analogy comparing parks and cities to the classics and trades, respectively, should have highlighted the fact that though parks are public goods that the government should supply when possible, they should not have priority over primary goods such as a well-functioning infrastructure. I believe that in this current economic climate, most people would agree that we should cut park funds before we slash infrastructure funds until our problems have been sorted out. Much in the same way, I find it reasonable to prioritize Education over Classics.</p>
<p>As I said above, it’s not a matter or whether we should or should not teach literature and the arts. The clear answer is that we should (and have to). My only argument is against Andrew787’s proposal that “Greek and Scandinavian studies” should be held over “education and social work”. Again repeating myself, the overriding priority of our government, and by extension the University of Texas, should be to promote the welfare of the state. With this is mind, I don’t see how educating our citizens in the esoteric Scandinavian studies can claim greater utility than the “trades” such as engineering, the sciences and business. Intellectual studies should be left to private Liberal Arts universities whose teachings are not so directly subsidized by tax-payers’ money.</p>