How Public Broadcasting Shapes Childhood Learning In Texas

When a Texas lawmaker claimed “nothing good” comes from government-funded media, they overlooked the generations shaped by PBS classics. From Sesame Street to Mister Rogers, these programs have been more than just television—they’ve been lifelines of learning.

Maybe I’m a poor judge of character, but I once met a U.S. Representative while flipping pancakes at a public event. They might have been distracted or preoccupied, but I felt like I was talking to a sack of rusty hammers. I’ll admit it could have been me—but that persons latest comments make me think my first impression wasn’t far off.

Recently, this lawmaker voted to cut funding for Public Broadcasting. If the reasoning had been about budget shortfalls or even alleged bias, that would be one thing. But part of the explanation he gave is flat out wrong. He was quoted as saying that “nothing good and only bad” can come from government-funded media.

Really? Let’s talk about what “bad” apparently means:

Sesame Street, where millions of kids learned to count.
Reading Rainbow, where countless children discovered the joy of books.
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, where kindness was a core lesson.
The Magic School Bus, Arthur, Zoom, and more—shows that taught science, empathy, and curiosity.

If those are examples of “bad,” that’s a strange definition.

When Public Broadcasting Becomes a Political Target, Kids Lose Out

This isn’t about defending a political side or clinging to nostalgia. Media has changed, and maybe it’s time for some programs to move to purpose-driven streaming platforms. But if that’s the case, say that—or cite bias if you must—rather than dismissing decades of proven educational impact.

For Lubbock and Texas as a whole, these cuts could mean fewer educational options for kids and fewer local TV stations that double as training grounds for new talent and ideas at Texas Tech and elsewhere. That’s more than just a programming loss—it’s a hit to community development.

If we’re willing to sacrifice the children’s programming that helped shape generations, then apparently the rest doesn’t matter either.