ATPE Executive Director Shannon Holmes has the following statement on this week’s pro-voucher public relations offensive, including a conveniently timed Attorney General opinion, the bussing in of a few dozen “grassroots” voucher supporters for a Capitol rally, and a Senate Education Committee hearing on five voucher bills: 

“We urge lawmakers not to be distracted by the political theater. Instead, legislators should listen to the voices of the thousands of Texas public school parents and educators who have already visited the Capitol this year to share that vouchers, no matter what they are called, will take money out of our neighborhood schools—the very neighborhood schools that serve any student who shows up at their doors, no matter the circumstances. Instead, this funding will be siphoned away to be spent by individuals without accountability to the taxpayer. 

“Our Texas Constitution specifies that it is the duty of the Legislature to establish and make suitable provision for the support and maintenance of an efficient system of public free schools. We urge lawmakers to focus on that duty.” 

About the Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE)
Founded in 1980, ATPE is the leading educators’ association in Texas with approximately 90,000 members statewide. With its strong collaborative philosophy, ATPE speaks for classroom teachers, administrators, and future, retired, and para-educators and works to create better opportunities for Texas’ five million public school students. | atpe.org