Yesterday, thousands gathered at the Capitol to rally support for State-funded private school vouchers. Last month, Representative Frank Corte Jr. filed a bill that would make vouchers available to students that meet a list of eligibility requirements in the 6 largest TX school districts. State Senator Kyle Janek (R-Houston) is expected to soon file to create a voucher program that would extend to the whole state.
The Dallas Morning News Reports:
Gripping signs in English and Spanish, thousands of people from across Texas descended on the state Capitol on Wednesday to rally for a new law to provide public money for students to attend private schools.
Several private school parents said they need public funding so they don't have to skimp on other things to cover education costs. Public school parents at the rally said vouchers could help their children bail out of bad schools and transfer to a private school.
"Our income is not enough to cover the costs of private school," said Dallas resident Ezequiel Cortez, who has three children. "But we pay the taxes. It's our money. We have to have the choice."
The Statesman shares the frustration of a man who has donated tens of millions to San Antonio private school programs and is fed up with the state's lack of a voucher system;
James Leininger, who has spent millions of dollars on Texas political campaigns, said Tuesday that the 2,000 students in the private school voucher programs he personally bankrolls will be "out on the street" if the Legislature does not approve a publicly funded voucher plan this year.
The San Antonio physician and businessman said his 10-year, $50 million commitment to fund a program for students in San Antonio's Edgewood school district is set to expire next year.
"If the Legislature doesn't act, those kids are going to be out on the street," he said.
In response, Kathy Miller of the anti-voucher Texas Freedom Network said: "Private schools may be willing to put those kids out on the street, but the great thing about our neighborhood public schools is that they would never do that."
Yes indeed; those poor, poor children. I know it must be terrifying for some to think of sending their kids through the public school system. With the failing test scores, prevailing presence of drugs and gangs, and the underpaid teacher force, it's a wonder that any of us went to public school at all...
I'm sure many teacher's of Texas and the poor saps like myself who endured the public school system stare in disbelief at the screen when we come across these stories. When so many of our children are being 'left behind' each year, it is shameful for privately funded and operated educational institutions to seek to steal funds that should be used for our school system. No matter how painfully obvious I may think it to be, there is no reason to provide state funding for private schooling. Because private means just that: independent, non-state, non-public. Put simply; if state benefits are desired, state schools should be attended. This rally and the Statesman article hit me deep, as thousands of angry protesters demanded financial provisions to keep their kids out of that awful system that helped to make me who I am today.
|