The school voucher bill being deliberated by the Texas House of Representatives has been argued over elsewhere, everywhere. The bottom line for me is that it takes tax dollars currently being spent on public schools and diverts them to private schools. That hurts public education.
There are many reasons to oppose school vouchers. Rather than spend the time to create my own list, I asked ChatGPT to do it for me. I asked, "Give me five reasons why the school voucher bill in Texas is bad for Texas." It came up with the following. I could quibble with the answer, but it'll do for my purposes here. It's like it was reading my mind. (It wasn't, what it???) To do better, I'd have to spend way more time than the second it took ChatGPT.
- Diverting Public Funds to Private Schools: School voucher programs use public funds to subsidize private education. Critics argue that this diverts essential resources away from already underfunded public schools, potentially exacerbating educational inequalities.
- Lack of Accountability and Oversight: Private schools may not be subject to the same level of oversight and accountability as public schools. Concerns about the quality of education, curriculum standards, and student outcomes in voucher-funded private schools may arise due to the lack of uniform regulation.
- Segregation and Inequality: Voucher programs could lead to increased segregation by socioeconomic status and potentially by other factors like race or religion, as families with means can use vouchers to opt for private schools, leaving those without the means in underfunded public schools.
- Undermining Public Education: Critics worry that diverting funds and students to private schools through vouchers weakens the public education system's ability to serve all students effectively. A strong public education system is seen as vital for a well-informed citizenry and a healthy democracy.
- Selection Bias and Exclusionary Practices: Private schools often have the ability to select their students based on various criteria, potentially excluding students with special needs, low academic performance, or challenging behaviors. Critics fear that private schools may not adequately serve all students, further exacerbating educational disparities.
Source: ChatGPT.
Let Representative Angie Chen Button (TX-112) know that you want her to oppose school vouchers. She always talks a good game about supporting public education when she's seeking your vote, but then she herself votes against the needs of public education when she's in Austin.
"Public funds set sail,
Private shores beckon with greed,
Public schools left adrift."
—h/t ChatGPT
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