TYLER, Texas — Several East Texas superintendents came together Wednesday to say Gov. Greg Abbott's school vouchers and choice program legislative priority would hurt public schools and education across the state.
This joint conference was held ahead of Gov. Greg Abbott coming to Grace Community School in Tyler for the Parent Empowerment Coalition's Parent Empowerment Night Thursday at 6 p.m. He is expected to discuss school vouchers and choice.
A school voucher is state government funding that goes toward parents choosing where they want to their child to attend, such as a private school or home schooling instead of public education.
At a joint press conference at Tyler ISD's Career and Technology Center, superintendents and board members from Tyler, Whitehouse, Winona, Chapel Hill, Lindale, Arp, Troup, Bullard and Brownsboro ISDs spoke in front of parents, community members and news media.
Tyler ISD Board President Wade Washmon said Abbott's proposed plan for school vouchers and choice would take away accountability and increase government involvement in education.
Washmon said the plans from Abbott lack specificity and are filled with "political platitudes, driven by a national narrative forced on communities like Tyler without thought, analysis or proper comparison."
"Conservatives like myself have long held values of small government, local control," Washmon said. "But when we open the governor's gift of educational vouchers or educational savings accounts, we'll find that it's anything but small, and anything but locally inspired."
Washmon said it appears the school voucher is a way to increase government involvement in education. He said in his opinion it seems the state is offering public dollars to fund religious and Christian schools through vouchers.
"For ages, public schools in conservative Christian areas have been forced to be less vocal about our faith or face legal action and repercussions from multiple government agencies - both state and federal," he said.
Washmon said the use of vouchers has potential for a lack of measurement and accountability of state funds, noting public school funds are monitored meticulously and those institutions should be.
"Tyler ISD has a long proud record of financial prudence and transparency, and private schools have their own measures to monitor spending through their own boards and their own committees. They chose that," Washmon said. "Are we know going to expect them to be held to the same educational accountability as public schools, taking the same tests and adhering to the same protocols? I would hope so. If not, are we creating a level playing field? I think not."
Private schools could lose the freedom to run their curriculum if placed under the oversight that public schools must adhere to, Washmon said.
"This is a way to grow government and limit your ability to educate your children the way you want," he said. "Choice has been a part of education in Tyler for decades. We've got more educational opportunities than other towns in the entire state."
He urged State Rep. Matt Schaefer and state Sen. Bryan Hughes to look for ways to decrease government interference and encourage local school districts to educate the way their communities want.
"Not what is being encouraged by those with clout in the party might be telling them to do. Do what's best for East Texas. Do what's best for who have elected you. We're all for choice. We're all for innovation," Washmon said. "We want to serve our community in the manner that they wish to be served."
Washmon also emphasized that children in Tyler ISD are not in failing schools, saying that is a false narrative used to advocate for school choice.
He recommended empowering public schools to offer their own choice programs within the school districts.
Several states have approved using school vouchers, but Washmon said that doesn't mean Texas should implement the program.
"Just because other states have done this, doesn't mean that Texas should. We're Texas. Lets do public ed the right way," he said.
Chapel Hill ISD Superintendent Lamond Dean said access to high quality education can be reached through a strong investment into the Texas public school system.
“Public education is a cornerstone of our democracy and a fundamental right for all children, regardless of their background or circumstances," Dean said.