Despite overwhelming public opposition—over 70% of in-person testimonies and 90% of written submissions—against vouchers, the Texas House advanced the bill anyway.
At 2:00 AM, lawmakers voted 85–63 to move forward with school vouchers—without giving Texans the chance to vote on it themselves. Why not let the people vote?
For more than a year, Gov. Greg Abbott has spent millions targeting and replacing Republicans who opposed his voucher scheme—backed by wealthy outside donors determined to dismantle public education. Now, our public schools face an even greater threat.
Every South Texas Democratic representative voted NO and defended our schools. But let’s be clear, we now have school board members supporting vouchers over strengthening public education. That is an unacceptable conflict of interest—and it should concern every parent, educator, and taxpayer in our communities.
And while school board races are technically nonpartisan—and I truly wish they’d stay that way—this vote, and Greg Abbott’s actions, are making it harder for me not to see this as a party issue.
Thank you to every advocate, educator, parent, and legislator who stood on the frontlines of this fight. Your voices matter— and this fight isn’t over.
We must keep organizing, speaking up, and protecting the promise of public education.
Editor's Note: The above guest column was penned by Michelle Vallejo, a former Democratic Party congressional candidate and small business owner from Alton, Texas. The column first appeared on Vallejo's Facebook page. It appears in the Rio Grande Guardian with the permission of the author.
