Pastors for Texas Children Testimony Before the Senate Education Committee, Brandon Creighton, Chair
Dear Senator Creighton,
Pastors for Texas Children is strenuously opposed to SB 2 for the following reasons:
Vouchers subsidize the wealthy at the expense of the poor. This bill would provide an education savings account inherently designed for those who would benefit from a tax break. A family of four with an income of $152,000 would qualify for it. The taxpayers of Texas have no business subsidizing the private education of affluent people.
Most of the families receiving state subsidies for their private education through ESA’s or vouchers are already enrolled in private schools. Simply put, this is an offset of their private school tuition.
A basic conservative principle of fiscal stewardship is accountability and transparency. Private and home schools are not required to meet curriculum requirements of the State of Texas, nor submit the same financial reporting as our public schools. This a fundamental unfairness of private school vouchers. Simply put, this is a handout from the public treasury that flings the door open wide to misuse, greed, and corruption.
SB 2 provides a woefully insufficient additional funding amount of $1500 for special needs children, but would require the family to give up federal protections and provisions.
The money to fund SB 2 is $1 billion dollars. This money will come from one of two places: diversion of funds from neighborhood public schools or additional tax increases. Both are unacceptable to Texans.
But, our main objection to vouchers is the fundamental violation of God’s gift of religious liberty and the separation of church and state. The State of Texas has zero authority to underwrite religious private schools, nor to intrude into the operation of those schools. Vouchers do both. All genuine faith is voluntary, and neither needs nor should accept public funding.
Universal education for all God’s children is a basic human right accorded to all people. It is provided and protected by the public, and is constitutionally guarded by Texas law. The responsibility of this Senate is to “public free schools,” not private schools.
Our 1000+ pastors and faith leaders are dedicated to fighting this destructive policy, both with legislators in the Capitol and with their constituents in the Texas communities.
All best,
Rev. Charles Foster Johnson
Executive Director
Thank you Dr. Luke and Reverend Johnson for your work to protect the vulnerable and the poor. Thank you for your work to provide and justice and mercy, in God's name.
Emily Fallis, Ph.D.