Vouchers Aren’t the Answer—Investing in Public Education Is
Governor Abbott has made a deliberate choice to leave behind our most vulnerable Texans by pushing a school voucher agenda that diverts taxpayer dollars away from our neighborhood public schools. Under this scheme, private schools—institutions that are under no obligation to serve every child—can now receive public funds while picking and choosing which students they admit.
In a state where per-student spending already ranks near the bottom among prosperous states, this kind of funding diversion is more than irresponsible—it’s harmful. It undermines the promise of opportunity for children from low-income families and those with disabilities, who are most dependent on the success of public education.
Resourcing Public Goods is responsible (and conservative)
Even the economist F.A. Hayek, long a champion of the free market and frequently cited by conservatives, recognized that not all essential services belong at the mercy of market forces. Hayek understood that markets are designed to produce winners and losers—but when it comes to educating our children, we cannot accept a system that only serves the winners.
Vouchers, guided by the narrow logic of wealth and privilege, risk pushing our most disadvantaged students even further behind. Instead of offering all children the hope of becoming fulfilled members of their communities, vouchers offer a shortcut for a few at the expense of the many.
Real Solutions, Not Political Gimmicks
Poorly performing schools don’t need gimmicks—they need resources. The real solution lies in adequate and equitable funding for public education. When it comes to curriculum debates, the answer isn’t top-down mandates from Austin but local control—letting communities decide how best to reflect their values in the classroom.
Vouchers are a blunt instrument designed to benefit a narrow, largely urban demographic that already has access to school choice and simply wants it subsidized.
If We’re Stuck with Vouchers, Let’s Demand Accountability
The current GOP majority in the Texas House and Senate has forced vouchers into our school system. But if public money is going to private institutions, then those institutions must be held to the same obligations as public schools.
If a private school accepts taxpayer money, it should be required to serve all of the taxpayers’ children.
Let’s Begin with the End in Mind
At the end of the day, government has a duty to our children. Anything less is a failure of leadership.
Putting politics and ideological agendas ahead of equitable per-student investment is a betrayal of that duty. We need to refocus on what matters: strengthening the partnership between state government and our local school districts, supporting teachers, and ensuring every student has a chance to succeed—regardless of zip code.
As a candidate, as a parent, and as an advocate, I’m committed to fighting for a legislature that stops looking for shortcuts and starts doing its job—for our kids, their families, and the future we all share.
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