Defenders of government schools like to claim that vouchers, educational savings plans, and similar programs give “public money” to parents for private schooling. Indeed, a recent headline states, “More states using taxpayer dollars to help families pay for private school.” This claim is effective only if one drops context. There is no such thing as…
Many rural Texans oppose school choice because they fear what might happen to their government schools in the future. A story from Marlin, Texas shows that they would be well advised to be concerned about the present. Marlin’s high school delayed its graduation ceremony because only five of the thirty-three seniors met the requirements to…
Writing for Reform Houston, Jef Rouner tries to use Florida as an example of what will happen in Texas if some form of school choice is implemented in the state. However, he learns the wrong lesson from Florida and implicitly admits that parents desire more control over their child’s education. He writes that, in Florida,…
Mention any problem with public education, and defenders of the government school system quickly sing the same chorus: we need more funding. In truth, the solution is not more funding. The solution is more freedom. If money is the solution for improving government schools, then Washington, D.C., should be near the top of performance assessments….
Moral premises underlie every public policy discussion. This is true of all sides of the debate. Unfortunately, in most instances those premises—particularly the more nefarious and irrational—are only implicitly expressed. One must look beyond the bromides and slogans to identify the fact that these premises call for us to sacrifice the best and brightest. An…
During many of his appearances to promote school choice, Gov. Greg Abbott has told parents that he wants to end indoctrination of “woke” agendas. Critics are quick to point out that most of Abbott’s appearances are religious schools. The governor, they claim, is a hypocrite because he is promoting a “new brand of indoctrination.” While…
Today, political debates are almost always dominated by a lack of conceptual clarity. Equivocation and “package dealing” are perhaps the most common forms. An example can be found in an article about Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s push for a voucher program. The article quotes Abbott from an appearance he made at a Christian school. Abbott…
A Georgia legislator has publicly stated what is often implied by those defending paternalistic government policies. The short version is that some people are too stupid to make decisions about their own lives. Government officials know what is best for you, and they will force you to act accordingly. During a hearing regarding a school…
Unhappy with what is being taught to their children in government schools, parents across the country are calling on legislators to enact or expand programs that give them more education choices. Interestingly, a growing number of black families are opting out of government schools because of what isn’t being taught. In 2020, the number of…
Imagine for a moment the reaction if the State of Texas decided to open government grocery stores. What if the Texas Grocery Agency determined what products would be on the shelves? What if the cost of groceries purchased at those stores was subsidized by imposing a tax on property owners? What if Texans were assigned…
When Gov. Greg Abbott recently iterated his support for school choice, the state’s teacher’s union argued that school choice already exists in Texas. However, there is a vast difference between the “choices” the union points to and true freedom of choice. For example, one former teacher said, The reality is there’s already a choice. Lubbock…
President Biden recently provided an “accidental endorsement” of school choice. In an attempt to criticize Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ education policies, Biden tweeted, I think every kid, in every zip code, in every state should have access to every education opportunity possible. I guess, for some, that isn’t the consensus view. Biden is correct that…