Gov. Abbott supports school choice in Texas

 Houston Chronicle:

Around 200 attendees rallied at the Austin Capitol on Tuesday in a "Parent Empowerment Day" protest headlined by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. The top state official touted expanding private and charter schools for students while pledging to increase teacher salaries and fund public schools.

"Just like charter schools did not defund private schools in the state of Texas, neither will school choice in the state of Texas," Abbott said. "Wherever school choice is used, public education improves."

At the rainy Tuesday rally, Abbott encouraged parents to contact their state representatives and senators to tell them to support "school choice" in the legislature.

"We need you to show up not just today but every single day to make sure your voice is heard," the governor said.

Like his fellow Texas Republican colleagues, Abbott also said students are being taught a "radical, woke agenda"—despite the Texas Education Agency creating the curriculum standards taught in the public education system.

The governor also claimed to have had a recent conversation with a teacher he said changed schools after witnessing another teacher telling students to "disrespect" the U.S. flag. Abbott didn't define " disrespect " or where and when this conversation occurred.

"We will not use your taxpayer dollars to teach our kids to hate the United States of America," Abbott said.

After months on a "school choice" tour, Abbott carved out the promotion of privately owned charter schools as one of his top priorities this legislative session. According to the state, "school choice" means creating voucher programs using Texas taxpayer money to send children to private or charter schools outside the public education system. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has likewise championed the cause of funneling public dollars to privately owned education institutions.

Education advocates against the taxpayer-funded private school tuition push say the governor's priority hurts and takes away from public schools. Houston education advocacy group Community Voices for Public Education cited the Texas Education Agency's recent takeover of Houston Independent School District (HISD) as one such ploy used by state officials to promote the charter-ization of public schools.
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I think the benefit of school choice is that it gives all schools an incentive to improve their performance and that of their students.  Keeping students trapped in a failing school should not be tolerated.