'Outsourcing our future': Why Texas Legislative Black Caucus, NAACP oppose school choice

As the Texas Senate advanced a school choice bill, some members of the Legislative Black Caucus joined the state NAACP at its annual convention to denounce such programs, also called education savings accounts or school vouchers.

Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, who chairs the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, said at the NAACP convention in Pflugerville on Friday that during a retreat before the special session kicked off Oct. 9 the caucus unanimously voted to oppose school vouchers in any form.

“For example, if the state through a gimmick tries to put teacher pay as hostage for vouchers, then we’re against that,” Reynolds said.

The Senate on Thursday approved Senate Bill 1, which proposes to use $500 million on a school choice program. The bill would provide $8,000 in state money to each eligible student to subsidize private school tuition or other education costs. SB 1 would prioritize students who are low-income, receive free or reduced-price lunches, or require special education services.

The Senate also approved SB 2, which proposes to inject $5.2 billion into teacher pay raises, increase safety funding and boost per-student spending.

More: Texas Senate OKs $500M school choice bill; House could give proposal chilly reception

A day later, Reynolds joined other lawmakers and NAACP leaders in laying out their case for how school vouchers specifically disenfranchise Black, Hispanic and rural communities. Private schools do not have the same accountability as public schools to accept every student, and they can charge tuition only wealthy families can afford, even with a voucher.

Texas NAACP President Gary Bledsoe said voucher bills like SB 1 have been used to discriminate against students of color for decades.

“Vouchers have gotten their lifeblood since Brown v. Board of Education,” Bledsoe said, referring to the landmark U.S. case that reversed racial segregation in public schools.

Derrick Johnson, the national NAACP president and CEO, said school vouchers take away money from public schools. In doing so, it does not create a race issue, but an issue for democracy, he said.

“This is outsourcing our future,” Johnson said. “White children will lose as a result of this. Black children will lose as a result of this. Latino children will lose as a result of this. Our nation’s democracy will lose as a result of this.”

Related: Texas Senate panel advances school choice, education funding bills to full chamber

Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, who says he's been working on passing school choice in Texas since 2015, on Thursday posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Don’t believe any reference to, inference of, or any nonsense that #ESAs have ANY HISTORY WITH racism or segregation. ESA's are 21 century solutions to give Parents and Students another Choice to get the best education possible now, and in the future!"

In response, Blesdoe told the American-Statesman that Bettencourt lacks the authority to speak on behalf of minorities and pointed to a November 2008 voter suppression lawsuit the Texas Democratic Party filed against Bettencourt, who was serving as Harris County's tax assessor-collector and voter registrar, accusing him of voter suppression by rejecting thousands of voter applications.

Ultimately, the suit was settled in October 2009 by Harris County and Bettencourt's successor, Leo Vasquez.

Bettencourt's office told the American-Statesman in an email Monday that neither Bettencourt nor any mention of wrongdoing is included in the settlement.

"Under Federal law, the case was renamed the Democrat Party vs. Vazquez and Senator Bettencourt was not deposed, did not testify, and there is no mention of him in this settlement nor is there any mention of wrongdoing or voter suppression by the Tax office in the settlement," the email said.

Bettencourt resigned from office about a month after the Texas Democratic Party filed the suit to accept a job in the private sector, and therefore Vasquez became the defendant in the case, according to the Houston Chronicle.

During the regular legislative session, which ended May 29, the House shot down similar school choice proposals, and the Senate's latest plan is likely to get strong pushback.

After the NAACP event Friday, Reynolds told the American-Statesman that he was confident SB 1 won’t pass the House.

“Rural Republicans and Democrats have come together with a coalition to stop it,” he said. “They need 76 votes, and right now they don’t have it. They don’t have anywhere near close to it.”

Reynolds said that lawmakers should instead be focusing on investing in public education funding and increasing teacher pay.

'We have to have both': School choice, boosting K-12 funding top special session talks

Gov. Greg Abbott, who called this third special session to pass school choice, strengthen border security and restrict COVID-19 vaccination mandates in private industry, has said he will consider adding increases to public school funding to the session's agenda only after lawmakers pass a school choice bill.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate, on Friday issued a statement praising his chamber's passage of SB 1 as a move toward parent empowerment.

“Many of our schools are great, most are good, but unfortunately, some of our schools do not meet the needs of our students, and some are rated as failing districts in our state,” Patrick said. “A one-size-fits-all approach to education leaves many of our students behind, and parents deserve options other than just their local public school.”

Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, who authored SB 1, said his proposal has a potential to benefit an estimated 60,000 students. Texas public schools serve about 5.5 million students.

As the House prepares to begin considering SB 1 — the bill was referred to the House Educational Opportunity & Enrichment Select Committee on Friday — Reynolds said now is the time for residents who want to weigh in on the proposal to call lawmakers.

“This bill benefits very few people, and it’s being pushed by billionaires to the detriment of the majority of Texans,” he said. “Every citizen in the state should be weighing in about this.”

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include a statement from Sen. Paul Bettencourt's office regarding a 2008 lawsuit that accused him and the Harris County tax office of voter supression.

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Texas Legislature: Legislative Black Caucus, NAACP reject school choice