In Lubbock, Texas, the debate over school vouchers remains a hot topic, with local pastors leading the charge against the proposed Education Savings Accounts (ESA) legislation. Reverend Charles Johnson, who hosted a call to action meeting, voiced strong concerns about how the bill could negatively impact both public and private education systems, as reported by KCBD.
Johnson challenged the governor’s assertion that school voucher funding would not come from public schools, emphasizing that the already underfunded public education system would struggle even more with additional cuts. Furthermore, Johnson expressed his opposition to any government involvement in religious or private schools, arguing that public tax dollars should not be used to fund religious institutions.
Additionally, during a season at the Capitol this month, Patty Quincy, director of Public Affairs and Legislative Council for the Texas Chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, shared that on the second lobby day, educators from all over the state are taking personal time to lobby against school vouchers and for more public school funding. The Texas Legislature is currently debating a billion-dollar voucher program, which would allow wealthy families to use vouchers for up to $10,000 at private schools or take $2,000 for homeschooling…