Vouchers At Odds With Immigration Policy?

Gov. Greg Abbott has made one thing clear, he will go to any lengths to pass voucher bills. Recently he has been called out on flat-out lying to constituents about rural Republican incumbents who voted against his voucher proposal back in November.

An article in The Daily Sentinel pointed out that in the past Gov. Abbott was known for serving Texas with respect for the truth and rule of law, until recently, with vouchers getting the better of him.

During the past months, Abbott has been caught lying, threatening and bullying lawmakers, at the expense of teacher pay raises and an increase in the basic allotment.

RA News was recently made aware of another boundary Abbott is willing to breach, exemplified by the potential passage of the last voucher proposal drafted in the fourth special session.

Under the omnibus education bill, students currently enrolled in public and private schools, as well as those enrolling in pre-K or kindergarten for the first time, would qualify to get taxpayer money to use for education-related costs, including private school tuition, transportation, uniforms, textbooks, and tutors.

An RA News insider source pointed out that according to the bill the voucher money was not reduced to only U.S. citizens, which means it could also be used for immigrant children. Which is also backed by the 1982 Plyler v. Doe Supreme Court ruling that a state cannot prevent children of undocumented immigrants from attending public school unless a substantial state interest is involved.

The inclusion of the voucher amendment in the bill would contradict Abbott’s current stance on border policy.

Most recently, Abbott is in a standoff with federal authorities, seizing control of part of the border and claiming the right to prevent federal authorities from exercising jurisdiction there.

Abbott’s escalating dispute with the federal government coincides with his push to expand Texas’ role in immigration enforcement, a domain traditionally under federal purview. With approximately $11 billion allocated by the GOP-controlled Legislature, Abbott has deployed state police and National Guard members to arrest migrants for state charges. This initiative, known as Operation Lone Star, includes setting up barriers along the Rio Grande, which has faced backlash following a recent Supreme Court decision.

When it comes to vouchers, is Abbott’s party line blurry?

According to the Daily Sentinel, during a recent campaign stop at the Fredonia Hotel, “Abbott was doing well staying within the bounds of political truth and opinion until he began speaking on his pet project of ramming school vouchers down the throats of Texans.”

At the event, Abbott criticized Rep. Travis Clardy for voting against the majority in the Republican Primary, highlighting the omnibus education bill from the fourth special session that would have allocated additional funds for public schools, increased teacher salaries, and eliminated the STAAR test.

However, Abbott’s assertion that Clardy voted against these measures was misleading, as no vote on teacher pay occurred due to Abbott’s refusal to allow it, using it as leverage to push for vouchers.

Furthermore, Abbott’s opponent, Beto O’Rourke, campaigned on eliminating the STAAR test, a stance Abbott remained relatively quiet about.

Abbott’s prioritization of his agenda over public opinion or compromise is evident, and he is willing to diverge –more– from his party’s stance if there is potential to utilize the voucher bill for immigrant children.