This is a real thing. Abbot had at least two special sessions on this topic and supported primary challengers to Republicans who opposed the vouchers.
This is the resolution from the Republican primary.
11.) Texas parents and guardians should have the right to select schools, whether public or private, for their children, and the funding should follow the student.
Yes
No
I will state that I was not happy with the choices from HISD over a decade ago and sent my kids to private school. But I think this headlong rush to vouchers may have consequences that have not been discussed. it is not going to be just the happy Christian parents getting a check for sending their kids to parochial school.
I think this issue is politically expedient but hugely impractical and dangerous.
This is the resolution from the Republican primary.
11.) Texas parents and guardians should have the right to select schools, whether public or private, for their children, and the funding should follow the student.
Yes
No
I will state that I was not happy with the choices from HISD over a decade ago and sent my kids to private school. But I think this headlong rush to vouchers may have consequences that have not been discussed. it is not going to be just the happy Christian parents getting a check for sending their kids to parochial school.
- The impetus is to fund private Christian educations. But it won't be JUST Christian educations. What will happen when private schools sprout up for Muslim, Mormon, Hindu, Spanish Speaking, atheistic and Satanic schools? They would also get funding. Who wants their tax dollars to fund extremist religions that hate the US?
- Public schools are the original melting pot for society. They make immigrant children Americans as they learn from other children. What happens when this aspect is taken away?
- Fraud. You just know that some enterprising person will figure out a way to open a school with minimum requirements, sign up a bunch of kids, and fail to educate them. Or fail to even try.
- School District facilities and debt. As School Districts fail from falling attendance/funding, what do we do with the unused facilities? The debt? Does the State assume the debt? Rent out classrooms to alternative schools? What programs are cut?
- Teachers. How do you determine the requirements for a teacher? Curriculum? An entirely new, very powerful and intrusive state agency would be needed.
- Teacher unions- Probably gone absent a favorable federal court ruling. Most likely one the political impetus for this movement.
- Students. How do you determine the standards for advancement? Curriculum? An entirely new, very powerful and intrusive state agency would be needed.
- Sports. How do we have 5A Texas football if public schools are radically changed?
- Politics. This plays really well in the Republican primary echo chamber. But what about the general public? Such a change would likely take a State of Texas Constitutional Amendment with a state wide vote. What if it is similar to the constitutional abortion amendments in Kansas and Ohio? And loses? Does the Republican party lose ground that it cannot regain for a generation?
I think this issue is politically expedient but hugely impractical and dangerous.
