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Veteran Home School Mother of 7 and Veteran of the Battle for Legal Homescooling Wrote On This Issue of Vouchers
This is a third in a series that covers the little booklet “Shekels to Shackles,” Today we cover the chapter written by Dr. Marlene Millan. She was one of the 7 promoters of home schooling in the days of Leeper. Most people today don’t know that then there was a big promoter of homeschooling here trying to suggest a Virginia like system. He promoted it as freedom for homeschooling but in reality it would have created state oversight. MacMillan then saw through it and her words saved Texas from that fate.
LOTS OF CONFUSION – MAYBE PLANNED
Same thing happening today. People are very confused. They think that “school choice” will be more choice and that is not true in any sense of the word. Already federal law provides that homeschooled children have a right to programs like UIL, sports, or special education. This program — at best — will provide some money. Those are the shekels. They will end up as shackles. That is how it always always always works. Cesear’s coins have strings. That is why he gives them!
WHO IS PUSHING THIS AND WHY?
RINOs across the nation are pushing this. Conservative Christians, knowledgeable about education and politics almost universally are working against it. But most people are either greatly deceived or just want the money. And folks, IT IS ABOUT the money. There is not one single benefit beyond money. Not one. There is no more choice in the plan.
Anyone who suggests otherwise is trying to deceive you — or doesn’t know what they are talking about.
Now, I must admit, that in the short term, it will be a great boon to all the new private schools that need to open. Thank God for that. But watch out. Ceasar’s money has strings. Get ready.
NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT SENDING YOU YOUR TAX MONEY BACK
I’ve talked to some nice homeschool moms who think that the plan is to take the state budget, divide it by the number of children in the state and send each child’s share to the parents. Of course, nothing like that is under consideration. At All. There are 2 basic plans. One is the *grant vouchers*. This means that whoever applies, according to whatever rules, gets a little money. So, say that in existing budget the state spend about $10k on each student. Then, if they give $2K to some families, maybe $!K is kept for administration over the new plan, and the other $7K is kept by the state education system – to do with as they please. As they please.
Now, for a poor family $2K is not enough to pay for a good private school. For a middle class family, $2K will be a relief. The typical homeschool family might spend it on curricula. Curricula companies will be happy. And of course, there must e accountability (the Democrats have been aMarxist curricula from the big houses that do an outstanding amount of business with eht State of Texas already.
WHY ARE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THIS IN TEXAS? WHO ARE THEY — REALLY?
A friend came back with a full-throated, “That will never happen in Texas.” Well, she may be right that maybe the strong homeschool establishment in Texas might possibly avoid what is logically an inevitable outcome. However it is short-sighted in the extreme to suggest that this could never happen. And it is blind to what is happening in other states.
BTW, Texas is one of the biggest states for textbook sales, and they submit their order before other states; that is why Texas is so very important for the publishing houses, … why they stack committees with leftist teachers… And notice the push to have no textbooks….so parent won’t see content.
The other idea for a plan is the Educational Savings Plan. Of the two, I would favor this one, because the money stays with the family, rather than going through the bureaucracy first. However, notice that Arizona already has a plan and Christian conservatives, and at least one high up educational administrator is unhappy about it. We will cover her chapter next week. In the meantime, get the book and read it.
If you doubt at all that this is not trickery, that homeschoolers and private schools will get the short end of the stick, check out what the Texas legislature did last term. Here was the “school choice” “voucher plan” that was agreed upon (and narrowly lost.) Only a very small amount was given only temporarily to a very few very poor families, while the state teachers’ unions got a great deal more above their existing budget.
So maybe you should find out actual facts before voting on this — or instructing your representatives. Wipe out of your eyes utopian homes and think logically.
A PLAN THAT IS HONEST AND WOULD ACTUALLY WORK — BUT IS UNLIKELY
Now a plan that I would really like, howevermuch I doubt it will happen, after shutting down all “public school” system and bureacracy, then take the state budget for education divided and sent to each family, who then would shop on the open and free market for what they thought was better education. Close the government school system down entirely. Depend upon free market for quality, effectiveness and efficiency. This could take us to the top, whereas we are at the bottom now. Did you not know that? Of the top 40 industrialized countries, our educational system is the worst — in terms of educational achievement. Although we spend the most, our students are the least well educated. Why continue going the wrong direction? Okay, if you want to share money with the poor; but then give them the freedom of choice also. Give everyone freedom of choice, instead of the past slavery to incompetence and corruption. Don’t give us more!
WHAT IS WORKING NOW — PLEASE GIVE US MORE OF THAT — NOT LESS
Why… the average home-maker is a better teacher than all the state certification, DEI, and sexual depredation in the world. Pleas please please, leave us with the choice to homeschool, to privately education by forming private school. This is choice. Government money, with its inevitable strings is not.
