Concern About Vouchers
To the Editor:
Eighteen months ago, a letter I submitted was published here. It was about the false promise of vouchers. If you recall, the attempt to move public funds to private schools failed in the last legislative session even after the governor called multiple special sessions. He then retaliated against republican legislators that voted against his mandate and primaried many of them. He “bought” their seats with his own money and the help of other wealthy supporters who will make money if vouchers pass. Additionally, he withheld five billion dollars that was supposed to go to public schools.
Here we are in a new legislative session with another round of misinformation about vouchers. It is clear that voters don’t want them. Rather than review all the reasons why vouchers are bad, I’ll just ask that you consider the following: Article I, Section 7 of the Texas State Constitution states, “No money shall be appropriated, or drawn from the Treasury for the benefit of any sect, or religious society, theological or religious seminary; nor shall property belonging to the State be appropriated for any such purposes.”
The same people who have been arguing that public schools are “indoctrinating” our children are okay with private schools doing their own indoctrination. Most don’t even stop to think that not all private schools are Christian. I don’t think the Christian fundamentalists want their tax dollars going to Jewish or Islamic schools, but that will happen.
The governor stresses that this will be good for low income students. Senate bill 2 which Senator Kolkhorst voted in favor of defines low income as equal to or below 500% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four that would be equal to or less $160,750. While low income families can apply, so can everyone else who meets that income requirement which means those funds are not guaranteed to help truly low income students. Also, 158 of the 254 counties in Texas don’t have a single private school. That means that a large number of students, rich or poor, won’t be able to use these funds.
House Bill 3 was co-sponsored by Representative Kitzman even though most of the students in his district won’t be able to use these funds. Also, HB 3 creates educational assistance organizations (EAOs) which will profit from this bill. There are some curious connections between those pushing for passage of the bill and those who will qualify as EAOs. It’s important to follow the money.
Governor Abbott keeps talking about the new money going to public schools. Since he never released the funds authorized for public schools during the last legislative session, he is actually talking about the money authorized two years ago. Yet, Article VII, Section 1 of the Texas State Constitution states in part, “… it shall be the duty of the Legislature of the State to establish and make suitable provisions for the support and maintenance of an efficient system of public free schools.” The amount that school districts can collect for property taxes has been cut by the state; however, the state has done nothing to replace those funds. It has been six years since the state has increased the per student allotment for public schools. While the cost of utilities, supplies, and salaries have increased, the state has done nothing. Rural districts like ours suffer the most because it is hard to attract quality educators if you can’t pay what larger districts do.
The funding for vouchers will help wealthier families in larger cities, not the children of Fayette County. Every senator and representative should be making an issue that their funding authorization was not released last session. Instead, they will spend most of this session on a handful of issues without accomplishing anything. Meanwhile, districts are starting to plan for next year’s budget not knowing if they will ever get the funds from last session or any funds from this session.
It is not about school choice, it is about taking public funds and putting them in the pockets of businesses and people who can already afford private schools. It’s about ignoring the separation of church and state. I encourage you to read SB 2 and HB 3. Research the private schools that will benefit from them likeAdAstra, which is part of Elon Musk’s foundation. Contact our senator and representative and remind them that they need to represent their rural constituents and the children of the ISDs in our area.
Becky Snyder La Grange