Ross Ramsey of the Texas Tribune reviews the upcoming voucher battle in Texas.
The voucher fight is not about kids. It is not about education. It is about who gets the public money. “While it seems to be a fight about education, it’s really a fight about money — about whether taxpayers should foot some or all of the tuition bill for private elementary and secondary education.”
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants vouchers. Governor Gregg Abbott wants vouchers.
Their big battle will take place in the House, where every year a coalition of urban Democrats and rural Republicans defend their public schools and oppose funding private and religious schools.
Will the coalition stand strong again this year?
Is there any evidence that vouchers will help the children of Texas? No.
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Crazy Normal - the Classroom Exposé 
Bill McAninch
February 3, 2017 at 16:47
Nex, you guys will be telling us parents that the teachers’ unions are not about money but about the kids and education. Come on!
Lloyd Lofthouse
February 3, 2017 at 17:24
Most teachers are there for the children, their students. Teachers’ unions are democratic organizations made up of teachers who vote for the leadership. At the local level, the union presidents are almost always classroom teachers. Teachers at all the locals vote for state leaders and also national leaders.
I paid dues for 30 years to the local (ARE) at the district level (700 teachers, and 19,000 students in that district), the state (CTA), and the national(NEA).
Each local negotiates contracts with the local school districts and in my district, teachers negotiated lower raises to keep class sizes down and save classes like art, drama, band, and chorus from being closed. Does that sound like teachers are only in it for the money? The State and the national level did not negotiate district level contracts. The locals did that.
Of course, we also have to pay rent/mortgage, make car payments, pay utility bills, eat, and save for summer or work a summer job (I did both). In the district where I taught, we were paid for 10 months of work and not paid for two during the summer (when school was out) so many teachers had to work other jobs over the summer because the bills keep coming. We are not billioanres. We can’t work for free. So yes, getting paid is also important.