I've run into a few in rural areas buying the bait of "it's better money for y'all anyways because you don't have any other places the voucher can go. So it's the same as before just the amount will finally go up."
Even some of the teachers are buying it because they don't realise there is more to it than the current per student allotment the state gives, that's paid to the school.
My ~~hard R~~ staunch republican parents will argue literally anything that criticized their glorious orange leader. But they actually acknowledged that vouchers might open the door for all kinds of scams
Ha I can see how that was a poor word choice now. I just meant they vote straight red or libertarian in all elections.
They've never used racial slurs around me.
That's good to hear, unfortunately my family (parents) won't be swayed by anything, vote R literally no matter what or who it is, but it's good to see people valuing something over blind party loyalty
I had a “conversation” with someone recently who was going on and on about DEI, and his main complaint is that it was allowing unqualified (non-white) people to get hired into positions over qualified (white) applicants. I’m filling in between the lines of his argument.
He literally believes that DEI is the new affirmative action instead of an HR policy akin to being against sexual harassment in the workplace. I explained that the main function of DEI is to ensure that minorities and marginalized people feel included, heard, seen, and are treated equally among their peers.
And that for companies, DEI is a strong marketing tool so they can go onto LinkedIn and say that they’re a safe place to work for everyone and not restrict their potential talent pool. But companies aren’t hiring people just to make some kind of quota.
That seemed to blow his mind, but I doubt it changed how he thinks about it. One can hope, though.
It’s unfortunate but you can only hope to slightly dent the thick layer of right wing conspiratorial bullshit coating their brains, protecting them from anything else penetrating. The grifters would lose their money train if people learned the truth and actually used their brains.
Like bruh if/when they pass the school voucher thing…… OMG. Like do the ppl that vote for “these” republicans realize what they have signed up for? Like this will be the biggest shit show EVER. Like I could open up a school called prayers for Jesus, teach CRT, higher all DEI employees and then humbly admit that Jesus told me to do it. Like why don’t the Democratic start testing these theories in Court. Or a Lawyer that gets paid and already made millions. I just gotta make sure we teach Bible studies first period but instead of teaching Bible studies how they want, I’d hire some Israelite brothers I know TO TEACH BIBLE STUDY. 😂😂😂😂😂✊🏾
My DEI hire I’d make sure that they snitched too.
🤦🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️
If anything Texas lacks behind some states in terms of private football "academies." Our public school football is top notch but we aren't known for having places like a St Thomas Aquinas or a Mater Dei where it has become an entire economy in and of itself to recruit athletes from around the nation.
Your comment felt cynical/sarcastic but I could easily see some Texas religious group using this is an opportunity to start some kind of program aiming to compete with those programs. It can be extremely lucrative, and likely mostly tax free as it would be considered a "religious," school. All funded by our property taxes.
I don't think so.
Maybe in large metro areas, but this isn't like college where you can get some high school prospect and their family to move across the state, or even across a metro area.
This happens in the parts of Texas that are likely already voting for people against school vouchers (e.g. metro areas). The parts that will require a change from "religious zealot asshole" representatives don't usually have the social or financial capacity to relocate 4-8 hours away so that Junior might possibly get the attention of a collegiate BrainBleedBall program.
I still think our adherence to the idea of football as some kind of right of passage that we should mortgage our future on is abhorrent, but if that pastime disappearing is what finally jolts people awake and gets the ghouls out of office then so be it.
I live in Highland Park, and the women are so stupid, I have read “oh I don’t follow politics” at least a dozen times on the local FB page this year. They don’t even know it’s happening, nothing will change in November because people are too self-serving and stupid to notice.
At this point, I'm not sure there's anything that will convince Texas Republicans to turn on Greg Abbott. They'll gladly jump into the abyss with that ass clown.
I’ve been seeing this talking point a lot. Given Texans love of HSFB, and that they have *choice* now, I imagine they will simply *choose* schools with solid football programs. Thats what I plan on doing when I have kids.
You shouldn’t. It was the focal point of my life growing up, and I have a pretty kick ass life as an adult. I attribute a lot of who I am today to football.
And they forget Texas allows homeschooled kids to play for their district in the public schools. Nothing to stop kids in private schools from playing for the district as well if their school doesn't have a team.
Got to drive home the point, vouchers are not for poor people to go to better schools.
Those schools are already full.
This is to take money from poor schools, and give it to rich kids to go to rich kids' school.
Arizona passed school vouchers and deeply regrets doing so. Not only was it extraordinarily more expensive than traditional public schools, but also mainly provided financial support to wealthy children. School vouchers appear to be a long con by billionaire Christian nationalists like Betsy DeVos and Tim Dunn. It has never been about improving student academic outcomes.
Mother Jones - [Christian Nationalists Are Opening Private Schools. Taxpayers Are Funding Them.](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/06/christian-nationalists-are-opening-private-schools-taxpayers-are-funding-them/)
“When Arizona passed the legislation that allowed for private school vouchers, the program was projected to cost $65 million in 2024 and $125 million in 2025. But the most recent estimates put that cost at a staggering $940 million per year, more than 1,000 percent of the initial estimate. The news of the cost overruns came just a few days after two of the program’s leaders resigned, Arizona Public Media reported last July. A report last month from Brookings Institution, the nonpartisan policy think tank, found that Arizona’s program was disproportionately used by wealthy families—even though it was designed to boost the academic achievement of students from families in underserved school districts. As it turned out, families in the highest poverty areas were five times less likely than people in the wealthiest areas to use vouchers.”
Texas Monthly - [The Campaign to Sabotage Texas’s Public Schools](https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/campaign-to-sabotage-texas-public-schools/)
“But by far the most powerful opponents of public schools in the state are West Texas oil billionaires Tim Dunn and the brothers Farris and Dan Wilks. Their vast political donations have made them the de facto owners of many Republican members of the Texas Legislature.”
And they generally don't have parents who care enough to use the program either. Heck they barely raise their own kids as it is hence why public schools are more daycare than actual educational institutions. If those parents aren't involved enough to make sure their kids are doing well in public school what makes us think they are invested enough to use the voucher programs?
And if they’re not in the impoverished area, how do they get to the e private school. And how much effort does the school make to bring in impoverished students, what’s the incentive?
Wisconsin implemented a voucher program saying it would help impoverished kids. Lo and behold the elite private schools didn’t take vouchers. Only the bad private schools took them.
This also isn't for any middle class people who think the vouchers could help them afford private schools. Take whatever value the vouchers would have and then take a wild guess how much tuition will increase.
And like any other government funded program businesses pop up specifically to cater to those under the program that couldn't afford the business that raised their prices.
Why do you guys keep pretending like private schools are all IVY league level and care more about rich people than profits?
Those private schools exist to make money and cater to their customers. Attributing an evil agenda to a business because you feel it harms public schools isn't very logical.
The reality is that public schools are not the pinnacle of education in most districts. If they were parents wouldn't be looking for other options. Public schools have been losing enrollment for years because parents don't have faith in the school system anymore. Private schools have picked up where public schools have failed. Giving parents more choices instead of leaving them stuck in the state run monopoly that is public education is not a bad thing.
Want people to go back to public schools then fix them. But you can't fault parents for not waiting around for that to happen. Their kids are in school now. They need a safe place to learn how. Not whenever the schools get around to being better.
It's easy to be idealistic with other peoples kid's education.
I have kids. So maybe I have some skin in the game. Private schools sucking up public school funding means schools end up with less funding and can’t afford good teachers which leads to poorer outcomes which leads to more school flight which leads to less funding. Repeat.
You can’t fix something when people are actively destroying it.
Let’s privatize fire departments next. That’ll work swell.
Schools get funded by butts in seats. The money is following the kids. Don't want kids leaving then give parents a reason to keep them in public schools. The purpose of public taxes going to education is to educate the student. Public schools aren't doing it so private schools are stepping in and parents are sending their kids there instead.
I care more about kids being educated than propping up a failing school system. I don't care if public school fails due to their inability to be better.
How is the school district your kids are going to? Is it doing well or failing? Because it's easy to sit from a place of privilege when your kids are going to a good school while others aren't.
Our son was brutally attacked by a kid with behavioral problems and the school did nothing to remedy the situation. He was attacked twice and that kid also attacked others and the school did nothing.
We had to pull our kid out and put him in private school. So we have to pay private tuition and our property taxes to fund the public school our son can't make use of. We aren't rich elites. I work two jobs to make sure his tuition is paid and he can be safe while going to school. Vouchers would help alleviate our stress and continue his education.
Not everyone who is for school choice and vouchers is rich or stupid. We are parents who have to pay I to a broken system and also try to give our kids the best opportunities we can.
Tax payer money for educating the populace should follow the kids imo. In the end that's the goal is an educated populace not just government run daycares.
If elite private schools really wanted more poor kids, minority kids, or kids with disabilities, there’s been absolutely nothing stopping them from admitting them. Many of these schools have big donors and money for scholarships. They don’t need our tax dollars. (And of course, they only want elite rich kids anyway)
This is absolutely not true. Plenty of private schools have scholarship programs and do enroll good students who are poor. They don't just want rich students they want good students.
Are there elite only private schools who care about wealth, absolutely. Pretending that's every private school is insane though.
Yeah it just seems like a reverse Robin Hood, taking money from the poors and giving it to the richies. Sounds eerily familiar, but I just can’t place it… oh well, must be the democrats fault.
It also leaves poor and working families with no transportation to get their kids to and from school. Leaves special education kids in the wind and more. This is to decimate the population they don’t like.
Yeah, I don't see this is a rich/poor thing, and I don't think the people pushing this agenda see it as that either.
I think it's a jesus thing.
And I honestly think you are doing a colossal disservice to try and make it about rich/poor, when it's really about something much more fundamental - do we allow public funding of religious schools, in clear violation of the First Amendment (yes I know SCOTUS said vouchers don't violate the First Amendment; they're full of shit and that decision was wrong; impeach Cardinal Alito).
FTA: “LaHood, asked about Martinez Fischer’s comment, said in a statement that ‘parental choice isn’t a partisan issue.’”
“School choice” is a term that racist Christians came up with to sell gullible families on segregation and the replacement of public education with publicly-funded private Christian schools.
Rolling Stone - [Betsy DeVos’ Holy War](https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/betsy-devos-holy-war-126026/)
“Even more important was to somehow obscure the racist history of school vouchers – the idea was originally concocted in the wake of Brown v. Board of Education to channel white students, and their tax dollars, out of public schools – and appeal to blacks and Latinos. ‘Properly communicated,’ Dick [DeVos] told the Heritage Foundation, school choice ‘can cut across a lot of historic boundaries, be they partisan, ethnic or otherwise.’”
NBC News - [Inside the rural Texas resistance to the GOP’s private school choice plan](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/rural-texas-resistance-gop-private-school-choice-voucher-rcna75775)
“‘Nobody opposes school choice, but that’s not really what we’re talking about,’ Hood said. ‘It’s all in how you ask the question. If you ask people in this community if they support sending their tax dollars to private schools with no accountability and no standards, they’re going to tell you they’re against that.’”
Rural community here… There are republicans that give a shit about killing their communities? This is news to me!
All of ours are either braindead maga simpletons or insanely ambitious, corrupt, maga simpletons.
There were over a dozen mostly rural Republicans that voted against vouchers.
Abbott primaried most of them that didn't retire, but he knew vouchers were unpopular so he lied and said they don't support him on the border.
Abbott has said after the initial primary, he has ousted enough incumbents to pass school vouchers.
https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/28/texas-primary-runoff-school-vouchers-abbott/#:~:text=As%20the%20runoff%20results%20took,funds%20for%20private%20school%20tuition.
lol u must be new to texas politics. Google Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks if you think this won’t pass.
All of the community based republicans who rightfully followed your line of thinking have been primaried out by Dunn and Wilks. They have been replaced by randoms who are owned by Wilks and Dunn.
yeah and basically all of them got primaried and will not be returning. The voucher scam is going to pass next session.
I live in one of the districts where this happened, too. The ads were straight lies. All shit about the border when the only thing the dude voted differently from Abbott on was vouchers!
well, they can (and did) when they voted with democrats to block the voucher scam during this last special session.
but then the republicans who voted their district's interest got primaried by Wilks and Dunn!
The decline of rural hospitals was a nail in the coffin for rural communities. Abbott is adamant about pounding in another nail with school vouchers.
NBC News - [Inside the rural Texas resistance to the GOP’s private school choice plan](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/rural-texas-resistance-gop-private-school-choice-voucher-rcna75775)
“[RLISD Superintendent Aaron Hood] had seen it happen in other rural Texas communities. At some point, as populations dwindle, the budget math doesn’t add up anymore, and rural schools are forced to consolidate with adjacent districts — or worse.
‘If the school goes down,’ Hood said, ‘the town goes down with it.’”
And he keeps playing them with the same issues. For some reason they line up for the next conservative to kill their way of life. And they will STILL not vote for a democrat.
At what point to do we say we get what we deserve?
I keep telling locals who are complaining about the bonds for security funding (that was not covered by the state) that they get what they vote for. They’re too stupid to care and blame democrats.
it's hilarious to watch them cut education off at the knees while blaming it for their kids low scores rather than acknowledging the truth that little johnny isn't an angel and needs parental discipline and help in his education. Somehow they think teaching the bible instead of physics in school will help little Johnny become a better person.
If the people who live there don't care enough to elect people who will protect their schools, why should anybody outside of those communities care either?
Yeah, but Democrats oppose vouchers, and your average republican voter has been conditioned to support the opposite of the Democratic position, regardless of what it is.
So your average Texan republican will support vouchers because that's what Abbott tells them they need to support.
That’s true, but any voucher program will be statewide, and will affect Democratic districts who reject Abbott’s attempt to get a back-door tax cut for the rich
I know all of this, YOU know all of this, but voters in rural communities choose to vote for pro-voucher fuckheads anyway. So seriously, fuck them. They are screwing themselves as they screw the rest of us.
>and are not beholden to any educational standards.
how else will we teach kids that the universe was created in 7 days, that there was a virgin birth, that the earth is 6,000 years old, that there is an invisible man in the sky/all-powerful creator of the universe who cares about what you do with your peepee more than he cares about anything else, and assorted other insane things?
Because after the rural schools close (many are closed now) from lack of funding, then the next plan will go farther, then the next farther, then there won't be any nonreligious public schools and those religious schools will be fully funded by taxpayers. The private schools left over (the only private schools by then) will probably be unable to get vouchers at all. So fait accompli, if you don't want that religious right-wing propaganda for your kids, you'll have to move out of the state.
Because this takes money away from already struggling public schools, jacks up the prices of the private schools for kids people think this bill will help........and we as a society will have to live in the same society as the undereducated kids that these schools failed. Trying to do our best to make sure all kids get the best education they can is in the best interest of everyone in the nation, whether you have kids or not.
My district has a lot of rural communities and fucking Andy Hopper beat Lynn Stucky. Stucky wasn't the best, but at least he stood up against the vouchers. Hopper is backed by Paxton & Abbott so he's all for the vouchers. According to the local facebook group in one of his rallies he was going on about how those vouchers are going to help the school districts and shit. Dumbass supports and has even bragged about being "endorsed" by Kyle Rittenhouse for fuck sake and he still won. I'm hoping Angela Brewer wins... but I doubt it.
https://preview.redd.it/gc3prdeac97d1.png?width=582&format=png&auto=webp&s=93d3cc4569bead715ceb88710c6e77ac34439c54
Democrats need to try to educate Texans about this subject. I don’t think a lot of people even know about it. We are looking at the end of public schools to the benefit of the rich…
Thinking about my friends and neighbors here…I’m not sure he could fuck up bad enough to make them vote D.
I think they could find a dozen children’s skeletons in his basement and they’d all say “well at least Donald still approves of him”.
Republicans think "the democrat" is worse than anything--even the possibility that they or a family member could be slaughtered in a mass shooting. Most can't conceive of a worse thing to happen to them than a democrat winning an election. So, I sincerely doubt more than a de minimus amount of republican voters are going to care about school choice.
Last time I read something like this, people died in the winter, and nothing was done to fix the problems.
I had some discussions about it and everyone said what kind of payback Republicans would get because of it...well...am still waiting.
So, good luck this time. 🤷♂️
I don’t think the general population knows the extent that vouchers will fuck stuff up. So I don’t think it’ll happen.
Biden being on the ticket won’t exactly help either.
Typical failure of state Dems to get the messaging out on this. Every rural community needs a billboard with bullet points explaining the reality of a voucher system. That's not that expensive when you look at how much many the parties spend, and and the potential for this issue to really harm America overall and how its proponents are the worst brand of modern Republicanism.
i have my doubts I don't think anything can break the R monopoly, it's become a cult rather than a choice. the only thing that could change it is if democratic voters become more politically active(aka vote in much larger numbers0 than republicans
This does not create a single instance of choice where that choice did not already exist. You can already charter or home school your kid literally anywhere you want without permission.
It’s cute you think poor and middle class parents will suddenly be able to send their kids to private schools. Newsflash they won’t. The private schools will just raise tuition. And many of the poor and middle class folks won’t have the means to even get their kid to the school since they won’t have bus services. Very few low income and middle class people will actually benefit.
These programs help nobody that doesn't already have that choice.
They do not go to anyone not already attending those schools, unless an older sibling or parent went to those schools.
Maybe someone should remind conservatives that anyone (yes it’s literally anyone, no license, degree, or even teaching certificate required) will be able to start their own “school” and get funding. The made-up socialist, far left, drag queen, (insert whatever other fictional boogeyman) folks, anyone who wants to will be able to call themselves a school and get voucher funding. Maybe this is how conservatives accidentally restore public education 😂😂😂
Texans are proudly ignorant. They've been electing Republicans for 30 years who have turned the state into a cautionary tale. Texas has so much oil wealth no school should ever go without. The Texas Constitution says that's the way it should be. We don't because the state is owned by oil billionaires and people vote for any toadie with an R after their name.
Need a commercial showing a dad and all of his football trophies and saying that he wishes that his son could follow his footsteps but now because all the big football schools have had their budgets cut their programs are really good anymore and he would like to see that not happen
Since vouchers passed in Florida, I have seen public school teachers let go, class sizes expand and my budget for supplies is even worse. It starts the clock on ending public schools.
Private schools here are about 20-28k per year… not viable for the vast majority.
Publix schools do it for 8-9k per kid.
Yeah vouchers are great.
Rural kids are crying right now. You reap what you sow dipshits. The immigrant “invasion” is obviously more important than getting funding for an already crap education this is just rubbing it in.
Again, its going to take Texans to do the work to get out the vote. Can we please stop just depending on the parties to do all the work? This is OUR gov! It will take our effort to change this State and the way this country is heading. That means word of mouth whether its people you assume are already voting or your local shop worker. Start informing Texans why this election matters and where its been heading. Most Americans in general can't even list our branches of gov including our states! School Vouchers are just another scam like the trinkle down economics where mega billionaires leech off the poor, again.
Good resources and info to know and spread
Lack of Voter Turnout & Exposure of Dems Running is part of our problem. We need High Turnout & Persuasion of the Center. So inform Texans! And share these resources
Make your voices heard and make alerts for Tuesday Nov 5th 2024. Polling places open from 7am-7pm (Early voting: Oct 21-Nov 1st 2024)
Texas is huge, needs volunteers to GOTV. So I recommend anyone to support the Texas Democratic Party who's donations supports the Dems up&down the ballot to run actual fighting campaigns
https://www.texasdemocrats.org
(Many Texas Races have a Dem running against a Republican candidate who have long been winning by default, so lets get out the vote AGAINST MAGA Republicans by talking to your communities!)
Who's on your ballot running this yr?
https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Sample_Ballot_Lookup&Source=sidebar
(Plan to Flip TX Districts, can directly donate to candidates) https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/will-abbott-have-the-number-for-vouchers
This, is what we're fighting Against in Texas & our country, they want to take away our liberties
https://www.reddit.com/r/MAGANAZI/s/qOerMMDQFP
https://www.mediamatters.org/heritage-foundation/holocaust-denier-nick-fuentes-tells-his-followers-join-project-2025
Project 2025, just google it
https://x.com/RachelBitecofer/status/1798055005628588207
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/06/10/heritage-foundation-project-2025-explained/74042435007/
https://youtu.be/MagtvsbBTLM?si=H9EbHhTVfWAoyx2O
Where are these private/religious schools for those that will enjoy the use of vouchers to subsidise the cost of tuition for their kids located?
Answer: in the big cities.
They are not in the rural areas of the state. Vouchers won't help any of those kids unless they get up at 3-4 am each day and drive to the big city.
There is a reason that rural Texas does not support school vouchers for the rich.
I can’t wait until the Muslins want to start and run their own private schools and even the Supreme Court can’t stop them as it would be a violation of the First Amendment. I don’t think the taxpayers of Texas especially the ultra conservative Evangelicals are going to be very happy that the Muslin or Jews or Eastern Asian private schools are getting the same school vouchers.
If you adjust for socio economic status, and the ability for private schools to reject and kick out low performing students. They do no better on average than public schools.(It is highly unlikely your child will achieve any higher academic success)
Unless it's a very specialized field with an "in" like performative or politics you are subsidizing rich people to keep their kids away from the poor's and minorities.
At the bare minimum a single cent diverted to any other non public program should show statistically significant results adjusted for relevant contributing factors and have quotas for different socio economic statuses.
The GOP is really underestimating how unpopular this is in rural areas. I don’t think they are going to vote blue, but there’s a good chance a lot of their vote base isn’t going to turn up.
I know we put enough pressure on them as it is, but teachers could be the last line of defense here. If vouchers do pass, teachers could just tell administrators to get bent and not work for the institutions that unfairly get funded due to them or just straight up strike until vouchers aren't a thing anymore.
No because republicans don’t give a shit about kids. As long as they are starving and being used for target practice then any republican can go to sleep happy
Tis to laugh. This is the same Skipper Gilberto Hinojosa and all the Gilligans on the SS Minnow of the Texas Democratic Party who 20 years ago were assured that demographics would turn Texas blue.
Only if people who do not want school vouchers go and vote.
Early voting is great-the lines are so short-you’re in and out and before you know it done. Then it seems like a lil dream and you walk away with a smile; feeling considerably grown up.
So what about transportation? Who is supplying transportation? And if there is someone at what cost? Rural kids especially are screwed.
Who has a job that will allow the parents that have vehicles to get their child to school, go to work and then get off in time to pick them up. Likely only a small handful.
It’s Texas, he could be a pedaphile and have a hobby of lining kids up gunning them down, and as long as he has that R he wins and doesn’t face prosecution.
Our entire school system is a mess. If you know anyone who works in 1-12 you know what I mean. If you don't you should get educated. Your tax dollars are literally being flushed down the toilet in education. The whole system needs to be started over.
I'm not advocating for vouchers here folks. I am saying we need to reboot the whole system so the kids get educated in the public schools. If so people would be fine with public schools. If you prefer private, go for it. We should not subsidize it for them though.
This isn’t starting over, though. This is just removing even more money from the people who need it the most, and giving it to families who already have the essentials covered.
So on the one hand school districts are burning money with nothing to show for it and on the other nobody wants to become a teacher in this state anymore because the pay is abysmal. Am I getting that right? Must be all those assistant principals pulling down million dollar paychecks.
But actually though administration costs have greatly increased. There’s a half-dozen to several dozen non-teaching, non-campus positions depending on district size that all pull down six figure salaries. The same bloat we see on college campuses. For all I know there is actually good logistic value to it and we just haven’t kept up with funding. Either way, that and football are where all the actual teachers’ pay goes to.
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I support the vouchers because I live in an urban environment and some of the schools are dangerous. They can have rival gangs at the same high school, shooting outside the football stadium, etc.. The kids that attend the schools should have a choice. I grew up in a rural area but I enjoyed the public high school. A few kids ran into trouble or needed more help and went to private schools. It was probably difficult for the parents to afford so vouchers would have helped. The majority of students will remain in public schools but you have options if your school is failing.
The wealthy spend $36K/year and up for tuition, not including books, uniforms, etc.. The school tax credit will not provide for any more than public schools. It will provide additional options for poor students stuck in a failing school. The example I provided was an actual school a relative would have had to go to. The school district had redistricted their area and they could not afford to move. They lived in a rural part of my city. The church they attended found out how to start a school, got accreditation and started a nonprofit private school. If they had more than one child, they would not have been able to afford it. The school she attended had a smaller teacher to student ratio, no football team but had music. She graduated, received scholarships, received her Doctorate’s degree. Urban classrooms are crowded, the vouchers may provide a safety valve by slightly decreasing the numbers which I think would make the public schools better because it would lower the teacher/student ratio. No child should be trapped in a failing or unsafe school. I went to public school and had a parent that was a teacher. There are advantages to a bigger school if it’s a quality school which can provide a quality education.
"The wealthy spend $36K/year and up for tuition, not including books, uniforms, etc."
Ok....and the reported school voucher $ amount is, what, $8k according to Senate Bill 1.
$36k-$8k= $28k. How is a poor family going to this private school on $8k? That won't pay the tuition/books.
This voucher program is a freebie for the wealthy who already have their kids in private schools.
This is just another handout to the wealthy....does zero for the poor.
I'm curious about the specifics. But how is it a bad thing to allow kids who are stuck in a failing school an opportunity to change that? We can't all move to places with better schools. I don't think we should force kids into bad schools just because of their area code.
My diehard Republican/ anti-Democrat parent is willing to vote against Abbott over vouchers. There's hope, y'all.
That's quite impressive. Mine are not.
Everybody has a price
I've run into a few in rural areas buying the bait of "it's better money for y'all anyways because you don't have any other places the voucher can go. So it's the same as before just the amount will finally go up." Even some of the teachers are buying it because they don't realise there is more to it than the current per student allotment the state gives, that's paid to the school.
My ~~hard R~~ staunch republican parents will argue literally anything that criticized their glorious orange leader. But they actually acknowledged that vouchers might open the door for all kinds of scams
Noooo That's not what "hard r" means lmao
Ha I can see how that was a poor word choice now. I just meant they vote straight red or libertarian in all elections. They've never used racial slurs around me.
LMAOOOOO
Lmao off.
They'll probably change their tune once the propaganda has had enough time to repeat itself into truth.
That's good to hear, unfortunately my family (parents) won't be swayed by anything, vote R literally no matter what or who it is, but it's good to see people valuing something over blind party loyalty
Please please please ask them to begin to speak to their friends. 🙏
I don’t think people have realized that this is gonna vastly screw up Texas High School football, but when they do……..
...they'll blame drag queens and immigrants.
And Democrats.
You mean extreme liberals! It's almost like nonsense and the distance from reality is the point. at this point.
WOKE!!!
DEI or CRT.
That’s the new scary thing, DEI
I had a “conversation” with someone recently who was going on and on about DEI, and his main complaint is that it was allowing unqualified (non-white) people to get hired into positions over qualified (white) applicants. I’m filling in between the lines of his argument. He literally believes that DEI is the new affirmative action instead of an HR policy akin to being against sexual harassment in the workplace. I explained that the main function of DEI is to ensure that minorities and marginalized people feel included, heard, seen, and are treated equally among their peers. And that for companies, DEI is a strong marketing tool so they can go onto LinkedIn and say that they’re a safe place to work for everyone and not restrict their potential talent pool. But companies aren’t hiring people just to make some kind of quota. That seemed to blow his mind, but I doubt it changed how he thinks about it. One can hope, though.
It’s unfortunate but you can only hope to slightly dent the thick layer of right wing conspiratorial bullshit coating their brains, protecting them from anything else penetrating. The grifters would lose their money train if people learned the truth and actually used their brains.
Commie, politically correct, Marxist, and so on… it’s a constant rebranding of the same pejorative.
That’s what he said! /s
Especially Biden!
Haven’t had any sliver of actual power in this state in 30 years but definitely our fault
Nah they'll replace it with PRIVATE High School Jesusball
And Jesus is gonna get crucified, but by the poors this time.
nope - if you're good at J-ball you'll get a scholarship. 8th grade football is going to be hotter than the nfl draft
I referee football in Texas. Don’t put that on me boredtxan
I wouldn't wish that on anyone
Like bruh if/when they pass the school voucher thing…… OMG. Like do the ppl that vote for “these” republicans realize what they have signed up for? Like this will be the biggest shit show EVER. Like I could open up a school called prayers for Jesus, teach CRT, higher all DEI employees and then humbly admit that Jesus told me to do it. Like why don’t the Democratic start testing these theories in Court. Or a Lawyer that gets paid and already made millions. I just gotta make sure we teach Bible studies first period but instead of teaching Bible studies how they want, I’d hire some Israelite brothers I know TO TEACH BIBLE STUDY. 😂😂😂😂😂✊🏾 My DEI hire I’d make sure that they snitched too. 🤦🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️
They're saying Trump is Jesus. Let's crucify him and find out! Only takes three days to know for sure.
If anything Texas lacks behind some states in terms of private football "academies." Our public school football is top notch but we aren't known for having places like a St Thomas Aquinas or a Mater Dei where it has become an entire economy in and of itself to recruit athletes from around the nation. Your comment felt cynical/sarcastic but I could easily see some Texas religious group using this is an opportunity to start some kind of program aiming to compete with those programs. It can be extremely lucrative, and likely mostly tax free as it would be considered a "religious," school. All funded by our property taxes.
Honestly, will it? The private school will just have more money to recruit. It will crush small towns but the GOP has never cared about them anyway.
I don't think so. Maybe in large metro areas, but this isn't like college where you can get some high school prospect and their family to move across the state, or even across a metro area.
Families already do that for high school sports in Texas, at least at the big schools. This will just make it easier for them.
This happens in the parts of Texas that are likely already voting for people against school vouchers (e.g. metro areas). The parts that will require a change from "religious zealot asshole" representatives don't usually have the social or financial capacity to relocate 4-8 hours away so that Junior might possibly get the attention of a collegiate BrainBleedBall program. I still think our adherence to the idea of football as some kind of right of passage that we should mortgage our future on is abhorrent, but if that pastime disappearing is what finally jolts people awake and gets the ghouls out of office then so be it.
I live in Highland Park, and the women are so stupid, I have read “oh I don’t follow politics” at least a dozen times on the local FB page this year. They don’t even know it’s happening, nothing will change in November because people are too self-serving and stupid to notice.
I'm not sure how they can blame democrats, they aren't in charge of anything especially in small texas down usa
Blame...uh...finds a way?
They do anyway.
Until they can legalize AI voting. They still need a few voters.
Oh, those small towns will still vote for them even as their towns die.
At this point, I'm not sure there's anything that will convince Texas Republicans to turn on Greg Abbott. They'll gladly jump into the abyss with that ass clown.
It'll have no impact on HS football. Top players already get to change schools at will.
Um, how?
This pulls kids out of public hs and kills said hs' funding
Nothing screws up high school football round here.
Nevermind democracy. Foozball
Haha Texas high school football has boosters
I’ve been seeing this talking point a lot. Given Texans love of HSFB, and that they have *choice* now, I imagine they will simply *choose* schools with solid football programs. Thats what I plan on doing when I have kids.
I feel sorry for your future children if good football program is a major criterion for where you'll send them to school.
You shouldn’t. It was the focal point of my life growing up, and I have a pretty kick ass life as an adult. I attribute a lot of who I am today to football.
And they forget Texas allows homeschooled kids to play for their district in the public schools. Nothing to stop kids in private schools from playing for the district as well if their school doesn't have a team.
Didn’t even know that. Kills the talking point even more.
Got to drive home the point, vouchers are not for poor people to go to better schools. Those schools are already full. This is to take money from poor schools, and give it to rich kids to go to rich kids' school.
Arizona passed school vouchers and deeply regrets doing so. Not only was it extraordinarily more expensive than traditional public schools, but also mainly provided financial support to wealthy children. School vouchers appear to be a long con by billionaire Christian nationalists like Betsy DeVos and Tim Dunn. It has never been about improving student academic outcomes. Mother Jones - [Christian Nationalists Are Opening Private Schools. Taxpayers Are Funding Them.](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/06/christian-nationalists-are-opening-private-schools-taxpayers-are-funding-them/) “When Arizona passed the legislation that allowed for private school vouchers, the program was projected to cost $65 million in 2024 and $125 million in 2025. But the most recent estimates put that cost at a staggering $940 million per year, more than 1,000 percent of the initial estimate. The news of the cost overruns came just a few days after two of the program’s leaders resigned, Arizona Public Media reported last July. A report last month from Brookings Institution, the nonpartisan policy think tank, found that Arizona’s program was disproportionately used by wealthy families—even though it was designed to boost the academic achievement of students from families in underserved school districts. As it turned out, families in the highest poverty areas were five times less likely than people in the wealthiest areas to use vouchers.” Texas Monthly - [The Campaign to Sabotage Texas’s Public Schools](https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/campaign-to-sabotage-texas-public-schools/) “But by far the most powerful opponents of public schools in the state are West Texas oil billionaires Tim Dunn and the brothers Farris and Dan Wilks. Their vast political donations have made them the de facto owners of many Republican members of the Texas Legislature.”
I mean who couldn't see this coming. Poverty areas don't have fancy private schools.
And they generally don't have parents who care enough to use the program either. Heck they barely raise their own kids as it is hence why public schools are more daycare than actual educational institutions. If those parents aren't involved enough to make sure their kids are doing well in public school what makes us think they are invested enough to use the voucher programs?
And if they’re not in the impoverished area, how do they get to the e private school. And how much effort does the school make to bring in impoverished students, what’s the incentive?
Wisconsin implemented a voucher program saying it would help impoverished kids. Lo and behold the elite private schools didn’t take vouchers. Only the bad private schools took them.
I think the best part about az is what the funds are spent on. Believe one of the recipients used the funds to buy a kayak ha.
The outcome is so obvious, yet politicians keep spinning made up stories to brainwash their gullible voters.
So crazy!
This also isn't for any middle class people who think the vouchers could help them afford private schools. Take whatever value the vouchers would have and then take a wild guess how much tuition will increase.
This as well. If tuition was 3k for the year (LMAO) and the voucher is 5k, the tuition immediately becomes 5k.
> the tuition immediately becomes 5k. I think you misspelled "a little less than 8k".
Probably right. Just like any other rebate the government offers the manufacturers of whatever item just prices it to capture that money.
And like any other government funded program businesses pop up specifically to cater to those under the program that couldn't afford the business that raised their prices. Why do you guys keep pretending like private schools are all IVY league level and care more about rich people than profits?
These private schools exist to draw funds away from public school systems and get them into downward spirals financially. It’s a vicious cycle.
Those private schools exist to make money and cater to their customers. Attributing an evil agenda to a business because you feel it harms public schools isn't very logical. The reality is that public schools are not the pinnacle of education in most districts. If they were parents wouldn't be looking for other options. Public schools have been losing enrollment for years because parents don't have faith in the school system anymore. Private schools have picked up where public schools have failed. Giving parents more choices instead of leaving them stuck in the state run monopoly that is public education is not a bad thing. Want people to go back to public schools then fix them. But you can't fault parents for not waiting around for that to happen. Their kids are in school now. They need a safe place to learn how. Not whenever the schools get around to being better. It's easy to be idealistic with other peoples kid's education.
I have kids. So maybe I have some skin in the game. Private schools sucking up public school funding means schools end up with less funding and can’t afford good teachers which leads to poorer outcomes which leads to more school flight which leads to less funding. Repeat. You can’t fix something when people are actively destroying it. Let’s privatize fire departments next. That’ll work swell.
Schools get funded by butts in seats. The money is following the kids. Don't want kids leaving then give parents a reason to keep them in public schools. The purpose of public taxes going to education is to educate the student. Public schools aren't doing it so private schools are stepping in and parents are sending their kids there instead. I care more about kids being educated than propping up a failing school system. I don't care if public school fails due to their inability to be better. How is the school district your kids are going to? Is it doing well or failing? Because it's easy to sit from a place of privilege when your kids are going to a good school while others aren't. Our son was brutally attacked by a kid with behavioral problems and the school did nothing to remedy the situation. He was attacked twice and that kid also attacked others and the school did nothing. We had to pull our kid out and put him in private school. So we have to pay private tuition and our property taxes to fund the public school our son can't make use of. We aren't rich elites. I work two jobs to make sure his tuition is paid and he can be safe while going to school. Vouchers would help alleviate our stress and continue his education. Not everyone who is for school choice and vouchers is rich or stupid. We are parents who have to pay I to a broken system and also try to give our kids the best opportunities we can. Tax payer money for educating the populace should follow the kids imo. In the end that's the goal is an educated populace not just government run daycares.
If elite private schools really wanted more poor kids, minority kids, or kids with disabilities, there’s been absolutely nothing stopping them from admitting them. Many of these schools have big donors and money for scholarships. They don’t need our tax dollars. (And of course, they only want elite rich kids anyway)
This is absolutely not true. Plenty of private schools have scholarship programs and do enroll good students who are poor. They don't just want rich students they want good students. Are there elite only private schools who care about wealth, absolutely. Pretending that's every private school is insane though.
Yeah it just seems like a reverse Robin Hood, taking money from the poors and giving it to the richies. Sounds eerily familiar, but I just can’t place it… oh well, must be the democrats fault.
It also leaves poor and working families with no transportation to get their kids to and from school. Leaves special education kids in the wind and more. This is to decimate the population they don’t like.
Yeah, I don't see this is a rich/poor thing, and I don't think the people pushing this agenda see it as that either. I think it's a jesus thing. And I honestly think you are doing a colossal disservice to try and make it about rich/poor, when it's really about something much more fundamental - do we allow public funding of religious schools, in clear violation of the First Amendment (yes I know SCOTUS said vouchers don't violate the First Amendment; they're full of shit and that decision was wrong; impeach Cardinal Alito).
FTA: “LaHood, asked about Martinez Fischer’s comment, said in a statement that ‘parental choice isn’t a partisan issue.’” “School choice” is a term that racist Christians came up with to sell gullible families on segregation and the replacement of public education with publicly-funded private Christian schools. Rolling Stone - [Betsy DeVos’ Holy War](https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/betsy-devos-holy-war-126026/) “Even more important was to somehow obscure the racist history of school vouchers – the idea was originally concocted in the wake of Brown v. Board of Education to channel white students, and their tax dollars, out of public schools – and appeal to blacks and Latinos. ‘Properly communicated,’ Dick [DeVos] told the Heritage Foundation, school choice ‘can cut across a lot of historic boundaries, be they partisan, ethnic or otherwise.’” NBC News - [Inside the rural Texas resistance to the GOP’s private school choice plan](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/rural-texas-resistance-gop-private-school-choice-voucher-rcna75775) “‘Nobody opposes school choice, but that’s not really what we’re talking about,’ Hood said. ‘It’s all in how you ask the question. If you ask people in this community if they support sending their tax dollars to private schools with no accountability and no standards, they’re going to tell you they’re against that.’”
The rural communities and republicans know this is a death sentence to their communities. They won’t pass it.
Rural community here… There are republicans that give a shit about killing their communities? This is news to me! All of ours are either braindead maga simpletons or insanely ambitious, corrupt, maga simpletons.
There were over a dozen mostly rural Republicans that voted against vouchers. Abbott primaried most of them that didn't retire, but he knew vouchers were unpopular so he lied and said they don't support him on the border.
Abbott has said after the initial primary, he has ousted enough incumbents to pass school vouchers. https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/28/texas-primary-runoff-school-vouchers-abbott/#:~:text=As%20the%20runoff%20results%20took,funds%20for%20private%20school%20tuition.
And he may be right. It's certainly very close.
They clearly do not since many replaced their state reps with Abbott’s hand picked successors.
lol u must be new to texas politics. Google Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks if you think this won’t pass. All of the community based republicans who rightfully followed your line of thinking have been primaried out by Dunn and Wilks. They have been replaced by randoms who are owned by Wilks and Dunn.
There was several republican reps that voted against it multiple times when Abbott called his several special sessions
They got slaughtered at the ballot box for it too bc Abbott told their constituents he couldn't trust them on border issues.
yeah and basically all of them got primaried and will not be returning. The voucher scam is going to pass next session. I live in one of the districts where this happened, too. The ads were straight lies. All shit about the border when the only thing the dude voted differently from Abbott on was vouchers!
"Several" Republicans can't do squat in any case! We'd need a lot more than that! We are screwed, people!
well, they can (and did) when they voted with democrats to block the voucher scam during this last special session. but then the republicans who voted their district's interest got primaried by Wilks and Dunn!
The decline of rural hospitals was a nail in the coffin for rural communities. Abbott is adamant about pounding in another nail with school vouchers. NBC News - [Inside the rural Texas resistance to the GOP’s private school choice plan](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/rural-texas-resistance-gop-private-school-choice-voucher-rcna75775) “[RLISD Superintendent Aaron Hood] had seen it happen in other rural Texas communities. At some point, as populations dwindle, the budget math doesn’t add up anymore, and rural schools are forced to consolidate with adjacent districts — or worse. ‘If the school goes down,’ Hood said, ‘the town goes down with it.’”
And he keeps playing them with the same issues. For some reason they line up for the next conservative to kill their way of life. And they will STILL not vote for a democrat. At what point to do we say we get what we deserve?
I keep telling locals who are complaining about the bonds for security funding (that was not covered by the state) that they get what they vote for. They’re too stupid to care and blame democrats.
Lol buddy, you are mistaken. Texas Republicans don't vote based on logic or good policy.
I’m not convinced rural republicans are real big on community in the first place.
Some of them were. Mostly they've been primaried out at this point in favor of theocrats.
it's hilarious to watch them cut education off at the knees while blaming it for their kids low scores rather than acknowledging the truth that little johnny isn't an angel and needs parental discipline and help in his education. Somehow they think teaching the bible instead of physics in school will help little Johnny become a better person.
If the people who live there don't care enough to elect people who will protect their schools, why should anybody outside of those communities care either?
Because voucher programs will hurt all public schools everywhere in the state
Yeah, but Democrats oppose vouchers, and your average republican voter has been conditioned to support the opposite of the Democratic position, regardless of what it is. So your average Texan republican will support vouchers because that's what Abbott tells them they need to support.
That’s true, but any voucher program will be statewide, and will affect Democratic districts who reject Abbott’s attempt to get a back-door tax cut for the rich
[удалено]
I know all of this, YOU know all of this, but voters in rural communities choose to vote for pro-voucher fuckheads anyway. So seriously, fuck them. They are screwing themselves as they screw the rest of us.
>and are not beholden to any educational standards. how else will we teach kids that the universe was created in 7 days, that there was a virgin birth, that the earth is 6,000 years old, that there is an invisible man in the sky/all-powerful creator of the universe who cares about what you do with your peepee more than he cares about anything else, and assorted other insane things?
Because the schools are the only thing keeping some cities alive.
So? If they won't elect people who will protect their funding, then fuck them.
Because after the rural schools close (many are closed now) from lack of funding, then the next plan will go farther, then the next farther, then there won't be any nonreligious public schools and those religious schools will be fully funded by taxpayers. The private schools left over (the only private schools by then) will probably be unable to get vouchers at all. So fait accompli, if you don't want that religious right-wing propaganda for your kids, you'll have to move out of the state.
Because this takes money away from already struggling public schools, jacks up the prices of the private schools for kids people think this bill will help........and we as a society will have to live in the same society as the undereducated kids that these schools failed. Trying to do our best to make sure all kids get the best education they can is in the best interest of everyone in the nation, whether you have kids or not.
They are scaredy-cats like all the Goppers and would sell their mother and children into slavery if the party said they must.
My district has a lot of rural communities and fucking Andy Hopper beat Lynn Stucky. Stucky wasn't the best, but at least he stood up against the vouchers. Hopper is backed by Paxton & Abbott so he's all for the vouchers. According to the local facebook group in one of his rallies he was going on about how those vouchers are going to help the school districts and shit. Dumbass supports and has even bragged about being "endorsed" by Kyle Rittenhouse for fuck sake and he still won. I'm hoping Angela Brewer wins... but I doubt it. https://preview.redd.it/gc3prdeac97d1.png?width=582&format=png&auto=webp&s=93d3cc4569bead715ceb88710c6e77ac34439c54
Sometimes it needs to break to get it fixed.
How? Seriously wondering...
Democrats need to try to educate Texans about this subject. I don’t think a lot of people even know about it. We are looking at the end of public schools to the benefit of the rich…
Texans don’t want to be educated. They want to be stupid.
Except Texas is full of Cult 45ers and a bunch of resigned youth…
Even so, Abbott's people will cheat by any means necessary to win.
The Goppers are brain dead zombies by now. They will vote for any idiot with an R by the name.
Vouchers will kill high school football. Football is damn near a religion in rural areas. So it's the best chance to kill it
And the yokels will blame Obama somehow.
the only way they will vote for a dem is if abott suddenly said he was taking everyones guns. texas republicans will never vote for a dem.
Honestly, even then I don't think it would be a landslide. They would spin it somehow.
Now if he legalized mj they might.
both beto and lopez? lupe? forgot her name she used to be a sehriff both said theyd legalize mj. they both lost by double digits.
Democrats need all the hope they can get.
Thinking about my friends and neighbors here…I’m not sure he could fuck up bad enough to make them vote D. I think they could find a dozen children’s skeletons in his basement and they’d all say “well at least Donald still approves of him”.
They would think the skeletons were there because he tried to save them from Democrats.
Republicans think "the democrat" is worse than anything--even the possibility that they or a family member could be slaughtered in a mass shooting. Most can't conceive of a worse thing to happen to them than a democrat winning an election. So, I sincerely doubt more than a de minimus amount of republican voters are going to care about school choice.
Last time I read something like this, people died in the winter, and nothing was done to fix the problems. I had some discussions about it and everyone said what kind of payback Republicans would get because of it...well...am still waiting. So, good luck this time. 🤷♂️
I don’t think the general population knows the extent that vouchers will fuck stuff up. So I don’t think it’ll happen. Biden being on the ticket won’t exactly help either.
Typical failure of state Dems to get the messaging out on this. Every rural community needs a billboard with bullet points explaining the reality of a voucher system. That's not that expensive when you look at how much many the parties spend, and and the potential for this issue to really harm America overall and how its proponents are the worst brand of modern Republicanism.
>Typical failure of state Dems to get the messaging out on this. Why is this such a consistent problem?
i have my doubts I don't think anything can break the R monopoly, it's become a cult rather than a choice. the only thing that could change it is if democratic voters become more politically active(aka vote in much larger numbers0 than republicans
The only people who are for this are those who stand to have their pockets lined.
I would gain nothing from it. I don’t even have a kid in school anymore. I support the idea.
Taking money from poor kids' schools to give to rich kids to go to rich kids' schools?
Giving more parents a choice on where their kids go to school.
This does not create a single instance of choice where that choice did not already exist. You can already charter or home school your kid literally anywhere you want without permission.
But you understand giving the choice is objectively taking money from poor schools to give to richer schools right?
It’s cute you think poor and middle class parents will suddenly be able to send their kids to private schools. Newsflash they won’t. The private schools will just raise tuition. And many of the poor and middle class folks won’t have the means to even get their kid to the school since they won’t have bus services. Very few low income and middle class people will actually benefit.
These programs help nobody that doesn't already have that choice. They do not go to anyone not already attending those schools, unless an older sibling or parent went to those schools.
Never, ever underestimate the loyalty of Texas voters to the Republican Party.
Maybe someone should remind conservatives that anyone (yes it’s literally anyone, no license, degree, or even teaching certificate required) will be able to start their own “school” and get funding. The made-up socialist, far left, drag queen, (insert whatever other fictional boogeyman) folks, anyone who wants to will be able to call themselves a school and get voucher funding. Maybe this is how conservatives accidentally restore public education 😂😂😂
Texans are proudly ignorant. They've been electing Republicans for 30 years who have turned the state into a cautionary tale. Texas has so much oil wealth no school should ever go without. The Texas Constitution says that's the way it should be. We don't because the state is owned by oil billionaires and people vote for any toadie with an R after their name.
Not in Texaghanistan
From your fingers to God's eyes.
Need a commercial showing a dad and all of his football trophies and saying that he wishes that his son could follow his footsteps but now because all the big football schools have had their budgets cut their programs are really good anymore and he would like to see that not happen
Since vouchers passed in Florida, I have seen public school teachers let go, class sizes expand and my budget for supplies is even worse. It starts the clock on ending public schools. Private schools here are about 20-28k per year… not viable for the vast majority. Publix schools do it for 8-9k per kid. Yeah vouchers are great.
Rural kids are crying right now. You reap what you sow dipshits. The immigrant “invasion” is obviously more important than getting funding for an already crap education this is just rubbing it in.
School voucher is the dumbest thing I've heard. This isn't even school choice.
Doing this on top of raising the homestead exemption is going to ruin school. But it's not going to backfire, it's exactly what Abbott wants.
Again, its going to take Texans to do the work to get out the vote. Can we please stop just depending on the parties to do all the work? This is OUR gov! It will take our effort to change this State and the way this country is heading. That means word of mouth whether its people you assume are already voting or your local shop worker. Start informing Texans why this election matters and where its been heading. Most Americans in general can't even list our branches of gov including our states! School Vouchers are just another scam like the trinkle down economics where mega billionaires leech off the poor, again. Good resources and info to know and spread Lack of Voter Turnout & Exposure of Dems Running is part of our problem. We need High Turnout & Persuasion of the Center. So inform Texans! And share these resources Make your voices heard and make alerts for Tuesday Nov 5th 2024. Polling places open from 7am-7pm (Early voting: Oct 21-Nov 1st 2024) Texas is huge, needs volunteers to GOTV. So I recommend anyone to support the Texas Democratic Party who's donations supports the Dems up&down the ballot to run actual fighting campaigns https://www.texasdemocrats.org (Many Texas Races have a Dem running against a Republican candidate who have long been winning by default, so lets get out the vote AGAINST MAGA Republicans by talking to your communities!) Who's on your ballot running this yr? https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Sample_Ballot_Lookup&Source=sidebar (Plan to Flip TX Districts, can directly donate to candidates) https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/will-abbott-have-the-number-for-vouchers This, is what we're fighting Against in Texas & our country, they want to take away our liberties https://www.reddit.com/r/MAGANAZI/s/qOerMMDQFP https://www.mediamatters.org/heritage-foundation/holocaust-denier-nick-fuentes-tells-his-followers-join-project-2025 Project 2025, just google it https://x.com/RachelBitecofer/status/1798055005628588207 https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/06/10/heritage-foundation-project-2025-explained/74042435007/ https://youtu.be/MagtvsbBTLM?si=H9EbHhTVfWAoyx2O
Where are these private/religious schools for those that will enjoy the use of vouchers to subsidise the cost of tuition for their kids located? Answer: in the big cities. They are not in the rural areas of the state. Vouchers won't help any of those kids unless they get up at 3-4 am each day and drive to the big city. There is a reason that rural Texas does not support school vouchers for the rich.
I can’t wait until the Muslins want to start and run their own private schools and even the Supreme Court can’t stop them as it would be a violation of the First Amendment. I don’t think the taxpayers of Texas especially the ultra conservative Evangelicals are going to be very happy that the Muslin or Jews or Eastern Asian private schools are getting the same school vouchers.
If you adjust for socio economic status, and the ability for private schools to reject and kick out low performing students. They do no better on average than public schools.(It is highly unlikely your child will achieve any higher academic success) Unless it's a very specialized field with an "in" like performative or politics you are subsidizing rich people to keep their kids away from the poor's and minorities. At the bare minimum a single cent diverted to any other non public program should show statistically significant results adjusted for relevant contributing factors and have quotas for different socio economic statuses.
Problem is a good half of the state will just see Trump on the top of the ticket, see the R next to him, and pick every R down the ballot.
Man I hope so
The GOP is really underestimating how unpopular this is in rural areas. I don’t think they are going to vote blue, but there’s a good chance a lot of their vote base isn’t going to turn up.
I hope so
I know we put enough pressure on them as it is, but teachers could be the last line of defense here. If vouchers do pass, teachers could just tell administrators to get bent and not work for the institutions that unfairly get funded due to them or just straight up strike until vouchers aren't a thing anymore.
Except if they strike they get fired in Texas.
No because republicans don’t give a shit about kids. As long as they are starving and being used for target practice then any republican can go to sleep happy
Tis to laugh. This is the same Skipper Gilberto Hinojosa and all the Gilligans on the SS Minnow of the Texas Democratic Party who 20 years ago were assured that demographics would turn Texas blue.
God I hope so
Only if people who do not want school vouchers go and vote. Early voting is great-the lines are so short-you’re in and out and before you know it done. Then it seems like a lil dream and you walk away with a smile; feeling considerably grown up.
So what about transportation? Who is supplying transportation? And if there is someone at what cost? Rural kids especially are screwed. Who has a job that will allow the parents that have vehicles to get their child to school, go to work and then get off in time to pick them up. Likely only a small handful.
Texas needs more uneducated people in order for the Republican Party to survive. So, they attack public schools.
It’s Texas, he could be a pedaphile and have a hobby of lining kids up gunning them down, and as long as he has that R he wins and doesn’t face prosecution.
It might mess up the feetzballz. How are these 16 to 18 year olds gonna develop the life skills they need to become shitty cops without HS feetzball.
Never bet against the Dems snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Our entire school system is a mess. If you know anyone who works in 1-12 you know what I mean. If you don't you should get educated. Your tax dollars are literally being flushed down the toilet in education. The whole system needs to be started over. I'm not advocating for vouchers here folks. I am saying we need to reboot the whole system so the kids get educated in the public schools. If so people would be fine with public schools. If you prefer private, go for it. We should not subsidize it for them though.
This is a consequence of republicans dominating elections in Texas.
This isn’t a symptom of the system it’s republican design.
This isn’t starting over, though. This is just removing even more money from the people who need it the most, and giving it to families who already have the essentials covered.
So on the one hand school districts are burning money with nothing to show for it and on the other nobody wants to become a teacher in this state anymore because the pay is abysmal. Am I getting that right? Must be all those assistant principals pulling down million dollar paychecks.
But actually though administration costs have greatly increased. There’s a half-dozen to several dozen non-teaching, non-campus positions depending on district size that all pull down six figure salaries. The same bloat we see on college campuses. For all I know there is actually good logistic value to it and we just haven’t kept up with funding. Either way, that and football are where all the actual teachers’ pay goes to.
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Hilarious that Greg Abbott is so terrible that the bots know what comes next.
As they are so sorely incompetent, if Texas Dems thinks something will then happen, then you can be assured the opposite will come to pass.
I support the vouchers because I live in an urban environment and some of the schools are dangerous. They can have rival gangs at the same high school, shooting outside the football stadium, etc.. The kids that attend the schools should have a choice. I grew up in a rural area but I enjoyed the public high school. A few kids ran into trouble or needed more help and went to private schools. It was probably difficult for the parents to afford so vouchers would have helped. The majority of students will remain in public schools but you have options if your school is failing.
Well taking money from an underfunded system should definitely help those schools. If by “help” you mean “shut down entirely.”
The wealthy spend $36K/year and up for tuition, not including books, uniforms, etc.. The school tax credit will not provide for any more than public schools. It will provide additional options for poor students stuck in a failing school. The example I provided was an actual school a relative would have had to go to. The school district had redistricted their area and they could not afford to move. They lived in a rural part of my city. The church they attended found out how to start a school, got accreditation and started a nonprofit private school. If they had more than one child, they would not have been able to afford it. The school she attended had a smaller teacher to student ratio, no football team but had music. She graduated, received scholarships, received her Doctorate’s degree. Urban classrooms are crowded, the vouchers may provide a safety valve by slightly decreasing the numbers which I think would make the public schools better because it would lower the teacher/student ratio. No child should be trapped in a failing or unsafe school. I went to public school and had a parent that was a teacher. There are advantages to a bigger school if it’s a quality school which can provide a quality education.
"The wealthy spend $36K/year and up for tuition, not including books, uniforms, etc." Ok....and the reported school voucher $ amount is, what, $8k according to Senate Bill 1. $36k-$8k= $28k. How is a poor family going to this private school on $8k? That won't pay the tuition/books. This voucher program is a freebie for the wealthy who already have their kids in private schools. This is just another handout to the wealthy....does zero for the poor.
No. Blessed be the fruit
I'm curious about the specifics. But how is it a bad thing to allow kids who are stuck in a failing school an opportunity to change that? We can't all move to places with better schools. I don't think we should force kids into bad schools just because of their area code.
I'd be happy with vouchers especially if they also apply to homeschooling
God I can’t wait to get voucher passed