12News spoke with Little Cypress-Mauriceville Superintendent Stacey Brister, who is traveling to Austin to represent educators opposing the bill.
AUSTIN, Texas — The debate over the controversial school voucher program is intensifying as Senate Bill 2 moves to the Texas House.
Gov. Greg Abbott and other state leaders support the program, saying it will give parents the “best options” to educate their children. However, some Southeast Texas educators remain unconvinced.
12News spoke with Little Cypress-Mauriceville Superintendent Stacey Brister, who is traveling to Austin to represent educators opposing the bill. She argues that the program will create chaos in Texas classrooms.
“It’s not equitable to all students,” Brister said.
Brister contends that Senate Bill 2 lacks transparency and equity, while Abbott and other Republican lawmakers insist it will benefit all Texas students.
“We want every student at every level to have that same opportunity, that is why we must pass school choice this session,” Abbott said.
Brister disagrees, suggesting that private schools are not held to the same standard as public schools.
“Private schools, because they’re private, have the ability to say you don’t qualify. If you’re special ed, they don’t have to accept you. If you have some type of emotional issues, they don’t have to accept you. If you are just bad they don’t have to accept you,“ Brister said.
She also argues that private schools will not be held to the same level of academic accountability as public schools.
“There are no strings attached. So that means they will not see a STAAR test, they will not have an A to F rating. They don’t have a school board that’s voted upon that is accountable to the people of their community, because their students come from all communities,” she said.
Abbott and his supporters maintain that the model has worked elsewhere and believe it will strengthen the education system across the board.
“I’ve talked to thousands of parents who are angry about woke agendas being pushed on students in public schools. Our schools are for education, not indoctrination, and we will not allow woke agendas in our schools, period.” Abbott said.
Brister remains skeptical.
“They’re saying that this is not going to affect public schools at all, but the money has to come from somewhere,” she said.
During a previous interview with 12News, Beaumont Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Shannon Allen highlighted the district’s concerns about vouchers.
Allen strongly opposes the school voucher bill recently passed by the state Senate, arguing that it would divert critical resources from public education.
“We oppose any system that’s going to divert taxpayer dollars away from public institutions like public schools,” she stated.
She emphasized that 90% of Texas students are educated in the public school system and warned that vouchers could leave public schools with fewer resources and more challenging student populations.
Despite the challenges, Allen remains committed to supporting public education. “When public education is strong, guess what? You have strong communities,” she emphasized, urging lawmakers to prioritize funding for public schools.
Brister hopes that by being in Austin, her presence will make a difference.
“In the public eye, the schools have become the bad guy. I see what teachers do day in and day out. I see how they care. I am here to help kids be successful. I need your help back,” Brister said.
The next meeting in the 89th Texas Legislature is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 10 a.m.