Texas legislature rejects school voucher

 Fox 4:

The Texas House handed Texas Governor Greg Abbott's key priority for the fourth special session of the Texas Legislature a major defeat, killing a proposal to use taxpayer dollars to help people pay for private school.

The coalition of mostly rural Republicans and Democrats has been the biggest hurdle for voucher supporters.

Gov. Abbott has spent the last several months trying to push the program along. He has threatened to keep calling lawmakers back until they give him what he wants. He’s been silent since Friday’s defeat, but previously signaled he’s going to keep pushing.

The day finally came for the Texas House to hash it out over a school voucher plan to let families use taxpayers’ dollars to help pay tuition for private and religious schools, a plan supporters argue fosters competition and gives students more choices.

"There are Texas families, to no fault of anyone, who things just aren’t working. Maybe a child with special needs, they may be a child who is being bullied, or maybe a child for some reason that experience is just not serving them well," said State Rep. Brad Buckley/(R) Salado.

But critics have argued it would hurt public schools and direct public monies to unaccountable private entities.

Rural Republicans also say it wouldn’t benefit their districts where there are few or no private options.
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I think this is a mistake.  The voucher system would likely lead to more private school opportunities in many rural areas.  Giving parents choices would also create more incentives for all schools to improve and compete for students.