Why Diaz & Wright Oppose Texas Proposition 15

(And probably why you shouldn't vote for AG Ken Paxton in the primary.)

Texas Proposition 15, appearing on the November 2025 ballot, proposes to enshrine parental rights into the state constitution. While it may sound like a meaningful step, it's largely redundant and performative. Federal law already protects parental rights under landmark cases like Troxel v. Granville, and Texas statutes include a Parents' Bill of Rights (Tex. Educ. Code § 26.001).

This amendment does not create new protections—it simply restates existing ones. It's a political maneuver designed to distract from the real crisis: the collapse of Texas's child welfare system.

The Real Crisis: Texas Child Welfare

• Texas ranks 44th out of 50 states in child welfare outcomes, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2024 Kids Count Data Book (aecf.org).
• The Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) has been under federal oversight since 2015 due to unsafe placements, lack of oversight, and systemic neglect.
• Between 2021 and 2023, DFPS spent over $260 million housing foster children in unsafe, temporary settings—often without proper care or supervision.
• Texas has one of the highest turnover rates among child welfare staff (nearly 29%), leading to instability and poor outcomes for vulnerable children.

·         Texas has privatized large portions of the DFPS mission. The privatization, although well-intended, has led to a lack of transparency and a prioritization of profits over children.

At Diaz & Wright, we handle hundreds of child protection cases. We don't just advocate for children against neglectful parents—we often have to fight the state itself to ensure it fulfills its legal obligations. The system is broken, and Proposition 15 does nothing to fix it. (Also, AG Paxton is responsible for DFPS. He has spent more time trying to get a national level position and hasn't handle the fire in the kitchen.)

What Texas Needs Instead

• A complete overhaul of DFPS, with accountability and transparency.
• Increased funding for foster care, mental health services, and family preservation programs.
• Community-based care expansion with proper oversight and funding reform.
• Faith-based and nonprofit partnerships to support struggling families and foster placements.

Our Call to Action

Vote NO on Proposition 15. Demand real reform. Symbolic gestures won't protect children—only systemic change will.

Sources:

• Annie E. Casey Foundation: 2024 Kids Count Data Book
• Ballotpedia: Texas Proposition 15 Overview)
• Texas Scorecard: DFPS Spending on Dangerous Conditions
• Texas Legislative Study Group: State Workforce Impact
• Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services: Community-Based Care Brief