Vouchers are bad news for Texas students and point solidly to why elections matter. The best counter-narrative to this extremist movement is in a previously posted piece by Jaime Puente with Every Texan titled, "Vouchers: The 'Lost Cause' Fight of our Generation." Puente makes a cogent argument that vouchers—funded by all of our taxpayer dollars—are about  maintaining segregation:

"Vouchers are, and have been, a favored tactic against efforts to make our public education system more equitable. As early as 1955, the White Nationalist movement that desired a whites-only United States used a variety of tools to resist or delay desegregation. Vouchers were so common among those grasping to save Jim Crow from drowning in the sea of history that the same Supreme Court that decided Brown v. Board routinely ruled against legislation intended to use public education dollars for private, segregated schools." 

Do read Puente's illuminating historical account. They are indeed the "Lost Cause" fight of the current moment in history. Vouchers are Jim Crow 2.0. 

We must vigorously oppose this anti-democratic agenda while supporting strong, public schools where teachers are paid well. Moreover, our focus should be on addressing high-stakes testing, accountability, teacher retention, working conditions, pensions, and higher salaries.

-Angela Valenzuela

Texas politicians rake in millions from far-right Christian megadonors pushing private school vouchers

School board wars over Covid safety measures and race have “softened the ground” for school choice. Now groups like Defend Texas Liberty are spending big to get the policy across the finish line.