Inside the rural Texas resistance to the GOP’s private school choice plan

[rambot]

You're repeated statements made from some imagined position of greater understanding don't validate your position in the discussion, nor does it demonstrate a superior mental ability. It's really a shame because I think we could actually have meaningful discourse if we could stay in reality and not some hypothetical mental picture drummed up to prove a point.

Not on this topic

The key word is COULD - hypothetical. They could also stay open for a number of reasons.

Have you heard of Pandora's Box?

My position on the democratic process remains unchanged.

I don't expect it to change but my concern is that you if a school district closes down becaues of the new financing rules, then you shoving your head in sand doesn't REALLY strengthen your point.

These schools districts are expressing some very real concerns. And frankly REPUBLICANS should be concerned about that. Not eveyrone can afford to homeschool their kids and not everyone wants to bus their kids 1.5hrs to a school that can actually stay open. Texas is so read because of rural voting patterns. Taking steps to shutter schools in districts that have solidely supported you seems like the OPPOSITE of what you'd want to do.

But then again, it does seem like Texas Republicans can convince their voters to eat their kin so perhaps anything IS possibl,e.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Texas House votes to remove school vouchers from massive education bill​

The outcome was an embarrassment to Gov. Greg Abbott, who spent seven months lobbying two dozen Republicans who signaled opposition to vouchers in April.

The House voted 84-63 in favor of an amendment offered by Rep. John Raney, R-College Station, which removed the provision of the bill allowing some parents to use tax dollars to send their children to private and religious schools. Twenty-one Republicans, most of whom represent rural districts, joined all Democrats in support.

The future of the bill is now in doubt; Abbott has said he will veto any education legislation that does not contain vouchers.

Threats against the anti-voucher Republicans were swift.

The Family Empowerment Coalition Political Action Committee said in a statement that it would change its strategy to focus on mounting primary challenges to target the holdouts.

 

[Fantine]

Small communities don't have private schools, and the local high schools with their football teams are key to the towns' identities.
Their schools will lose funding and their children won't have alternatives.
Our state has just started vouchers. 95% of applicants were already in private school and had the income to cover the shortfall.

 

[Pommer]

The future of the bill is now in doubt; Abbott has said he will veto any education legislation that does not contain vouchers.

“All or nothing” dictating “governing” never lasts long.

 

[Fantine]

Somehow I wonder if it's religious fervor that is driving Governor Abbott (amoral religious fervor, of course.)

Demographics of Texas - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

In 2021, 40.2% of the population was Hispanic and Latino American of any race, 39.3% non-Hispanic white, 11.6% Black or African American, 1.5% American Indian or Alaska Native, 5.1% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 0.4% some other race, and 3.1% two or more races.

Less than 40% white...and probably less so in the public schools.

I wonder what the student demographics are in the private schools...

 

[dogs4thewin]

My sister is a public school teacher and much to her dismay I have voted for school choice here in GA one time and will do it each and every time it appears on the ballot. I also happen to be disabled and as I result did benefit from the IDEA in public schools myself, but still feel that parents' income should not determine where their child goes to school. I WOULD be OK with a system that kept the money in public schools, but got rid of zoning as well as a kind of "middle ground"

Now as an adult in my early 30s I would frankly be somewhat OK with no ADA or at least a more limited version say one that only applied to be hired as opposed to access. The reason I would be fine actually with less access is frankly some places that are "accessible" and meet the ADA's standards I am not sure who came up with those standards, but those standards do not equal "accessible". I would much rather a business/school ECT tell me from the start look ma'ma we can not provide the access/services you need than them be forced to try and I still have to struggle to use their services. I am MUCH more forgiving of lack of access if I know what to expect than I am of wanting to do something and being unable to because it is not handicap accessible. All of this second part to say even as someone who has benefited from laws designed to "help" kids get a better education and who has otherwise benefited from laws meant to "help" people with special needs I still feel that your income should not determine the services you receive, nor should anybody school or otherwise be forced to try to meet the needs of a small number of people without major input from those people ( which as I explained earlier at least in terms of disability the government regulations have so far done a poor job of anyway.

 

[dogs4thewin]

If there are no private school options in that district how then are they to lose students to private schools?

because people can still send their kids out of district to private schools. My district has no private schools and yet people from this district can still go to them. In fact, this district allows people from other districts to benefit from our public schools provided they pay and provide their own transportation to and from school and school events they do not get bus service.

 

[dogs4thewin]

And this is a problem with "private schools are better". First of all, they are self-selecting. It takes more money and/or effort to get your kid into a private school. Those who do are more likely to be financially stable and have parents that place a higher priority on education. That puts them at an advantage performance wise straight from the start. Now, add in that private schools can exclude low performing and children with learning & behavioral issues, you've greatly skewed the population of the school.

and they should be able to choose the students they are best able to educate. Not all children do well in public schools, but that does not mean they will not do well if the education is not better suited to them for example smaller class sizes or a focus or their particular needs.

 

[dogs4thewin]

And in Arkansas, the private schools have no burdensome regulations to hold them accountable.

Shrewd legislators. They knew there would be new schools opening, some operated by religious extremists who choose science texts favoring Moses over Darwin, history about slaves singing "jump down turn around pick a bale of cotton," and mashed up lit books with censored excerpts from real literature.
Fake science, fake history, fake humanities...
And let's not forget corporal punishment.
Parents, beware.

The parents hold them accountable if they feel the school is doing a poor job and not meeting the educational needs of their child they are free to go elsewhere.

 

[Desk trauma]

and they should be able to choose the students they are best able to educate. Not all children do well in public schools, but that does not mean they will not do well if the education is not better suited to them for example smaller class sizes or a focus or their particular needs.

I’m sure turning public schools into underfunded repository’s for the kids unwanted by schools looking for voucher money will improve them greatly and get only good outcomes for the kids.

 

[Desk trauma]

My sister is a public school teacher and much to her dismay I have voted for school choice here in GA one time and will do it each and every time it appears on the ballot.

Yeah, what an odd reaction to someone saying you want to sabotage their work.

 

[dogs4thewin]

Yeah, what an odd reaction to someone saying you want to sabotage their work.

Would not teachers want the best education that could be provided to kids? Also, teachers should know better than anyone that a public school is not where all kids learn best.

 

[Desk trauma]

Would not teachers want the best education that could be provided to kids?

Hence her dismay at your wanting to sabotage that to help subsidize private schools with public money.

 

[dogs4thewin]

Hence her dismay at your wanting to sabotage that to help subsidize private schools with public money.

but not all kids preform best in public school.

 

[Desk trauma]

but not al kids preform best in public school.

Ah, therefore defund public schools to subsidize people already sending their kids to private schools making sure even fewer children can preform well in the public schools.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Frustration boils as Gov. Greg Abbott, AG Ken Paxton target GOP incumbents​

Big spending and anger surround reelection bids for state House members like Glenn Rogers, who’s facing heat for votes on vouchers and Ken Paxton’s impeachment.

State Rep. Glenn Rogers is mad as [blazes], and he’s not being shy about it.

“Kiss my [butt]!” he recently told a statewide Republican official who had endorsed his primary opponent.

“You are a bought and paid for, pathetic narcissist,” read the January text, which Miller promptly posted on X. “If you had any honor, you would challenge me, or any of my Republican colleagues to a duel instead of strutting around posting pictures with a rifle threatening to shoot RINOS [Republicans in Name Only]"

He’s among a group of Republicans facing heat from big names in their party in a primary that has pitted former allies against each other, prompted big spending and left a pile of hurt feelings in its wake. Incumbents like Rogers have become targets over two key votes last year: on whether to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton and whether to allow school vouchers.

The resistance of 21 Republicans [to the voucher plan], most of them rural, led to the repeated failure of the proposal last year.

Advocates have said the public schools in Rogers’ House District 60, a mostly rural area west of Fort Worth covering Palo Pinto, Stephens and Parker counties, would lose more than $3 million if vouchers were to pass.

Rep. Ernest Bailes, R-Shepherd, lamented the governor’s “vindictive nature” against Republicans he said were simply trying to represent their constituents’ best interests.

In fact, Abbott is opposing multiple candidates who he has supported in the past. Many of those candidates have pointed to those old endorsements, in some cases posting quotes from the governor on their campaign websites.

Yes... HA HA HA.... Yes!

 

[camille70]

They are right to fight against this. This mostly benefits wealthy people who are already sending their kids to private schools. The vouchers don't cover the full price of tuition. So wealthy families get a discount on what they were already going to pay while less wealthy families can't pay the additional 2-10k or more PER CHILD out of pocket, so the vouchers don't benefit them. I had also read there were schools popping up that take advantage of the money from vouchers, but don't stick around long term, basically scaming parents.

If parents don't have the money for private schools or the time, money, resources and skills to properly home school (many homes both parents work, some parents multiple jobs) where does that leave the child and the quality of their education?

 

[Desk trauma]

They are right to fight against this. This mostly benefits wealthy people who are already sending their kids to private schools. The vouchers don't cover the full price of tuition. So wealthy families get a discount on what they were already going to pay while less wealthy families can't pay the additional 2-10k or more PER CHILD out of pocket, so the vouchers don't benefit them. I had also read there were schools popping up that take advantage of the money from vouchers, but don't stick around long term, basically scaming

You forgot the best part, the public schools get their funding reduced helping to make sure they struggle more.

 

[camille70]

Tennessee, but voucher related.

REVEALED: Secret recording shows pressure on Republican lawmakers to vote for school vouchers

Another secret recording obtained by NewsChannel 5 Investigates reveals how Tennessee lawmakers are facing pressure to send your tax dollars to the state's private schools.

www.newschannel5.com

 

[dogs4thewin]

They are right to fight against this. This mostly benefits wealthy people who are already sending their kids to private schools. The vouchers don't cover the full price of tuition. So wealthy families get a discount on what they were already going to pay while less wealthy families can't pay the additional 2-10k or more PER CHILD out of pocket, so the vouchers don't benefit them. I had also read there were schools popping up that take advantage of the money from vouchers, but don't stick around long term, basically scaming parents.

If parents don't have the money for private schools or the time, money, resources and skills to properly home school (many homes both parents work, some parents multiple jobs) where does that leave the child and the quality of their education?

It is still really the same maybe a little better but people in wealthier areas TEND to have better and higher quality schools because A education is funded largely by property taxes the wealthier the area usually the nicer properties. The other factor is that wealthier people TEND to have the type of job where they can more easily get off to support the school in other ways. They tend to have jobs ( though not always but where either they are salaried ( often because they worked their way up) which means that they will not be out money if they help with a trip or go to parent-teacher meetings other events because they are paid a flat rate. Even if they are paid by the hour many times they have "better" jobs where either through education or experience they cannot be easily replaced whereas if I am doing some entry level job by the hour NOT only will I lose money if I do not show up, but my employer can also rightly say well fine I will just replace you tomorrow or next week because the job does not take much to do.

Life is not fair no matter which way you slice it people who are wealthier/live in wealthier areas TEND to have better quality education/services. Does that mean that poorer people cannot climb the ladder no my late father in particular but really he his brothers AND his sister are proof of that, but I can promise you that it was not easy and his brother, sister and he ( all of whom were forced to leave the workforce early (only one of them is still working) did not get to their final position held, nor did Uncle G get to his current position without a LOT of hard work growing up with an alcoholic father, but the fact is that wealthier people usually are going to have an easier time in most respects in life.