The Voucher Scam Mothers For Democracy Institute

What exactly is an education voucher? Why does it have so many names? How do parents feel about this program? Will public schools be impacted? How come Gov. Abbott dedicates so much political capital to promoting vouchers?
Looking for our resource guide? Click here.
Guest interviews:
Jeanne, a mother of three who lived through the rise of vouchers in Indiana
Dax Gonzalez, a policy expert at the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) 
Forrest Wilder, politics reporter at Texas Monthly
We believe we can stop vouchers if we work together. Here's how you can help:
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Chris Tackett wanted to serve his Granbury, Texas community. After years of leading the local baseball/softball association to a good place, he focused those skills on his local school board. He was excited to have the support of the newly elected state representative,Mike Lang for his district’s education initiatives. Only, as it turns out, the school board didn’t have Representative Lang’s support.That experience made Chris wonder about the motives behind Mike Lang’s false promises. What he discovered is that Mike Lang was backed by big campaign money coming out of the pockets of West Texas billionaires and those big donors are the same ones pushing for school vouchers in Texas. On today’s episode we dig into the allusion of grassroots movements and the danger that poses to democracy. We connect the value of public education to a common set of values that underpin democracy. Finally, we remind you that we can do something to protect the things we hold dear. The beauty of democracy is that the power belongs to the people when we use it.
Find our resource guide here. 
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Did you know that a 10-year voucher program was implemented in Texas from 1998-2008? It had a $50 million price tag and ran in Edgewood ISD, on the west side of San Antonio. 
We were shocked to learn that something eerily similar to what’s being proposed today by Governor Abbott and his allies has already happened in Texas. If vouchers were truly all that they promise, why isn’t this Edgewood Experiment used as a shining example of the power of vouchers? 
We had so many questions. Today we answer those questions.
However, in order to find the answers we have to go back to the beginning. When was the first time vouchers were proposed and why? Why do they keep coming back after repeated defeats? We answer all these questions and more in today’s episode.
Also, for our special episode on November 16th, we are handing over the microphone to The Voucher Scam listeners. We want to know:
1. What do you love about your public school(s)? What’s one amazing thing that your public school offers?
​2. How are you feeling about the push for vouchers in Texas?
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For folks not in Texas:
How have vouchers affected your schools? What message of encouragement would you give us in Texas to fight vouchers?
Click here to leave us a message: https://www.speakpipe.com/TheVoucherScam
Want to get engaged in supporting local public schools? Find our resource guide here: https://mothersfordemocracyinstitute.org/podcasts/
If you’d like to help us keep this critical content coming, donate here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/saynotovouchers

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Friday, November 17, 2023 was a historic day in Texas politics and in public education. For the first time since 2005, a voucher proposal would be heard on the floor of the Texas House as part of a larger education funding bill, HB1. Quickly, Representative John Raney proposed an amendment that would strip the voucher portion of the bill but leave the rest of it intact.
We were there and listened to the debate about how we should think about public education. From voucher proponents, the arguments were centered around competition, choice, and customers–the language of the free market. The rural Republicans, who oppose vouchers, spoke about constitutional duty and community. 
To our great relief, vouchers were stripped from the education bill and once again, vouchers have failed to pass in Texas. While this is a significant win, we know this fight isn’t over and we’re also aware that it’s time to take an offensive approach to this education battle. That’s what we explore today. 
We are so grateful for this experience. We had no idea how this would go when this whole thing started and it’s been an amazing roller coaster of a ride. We are thankful for you, dear listeners. We end this week’s episode with a compilation of inspiring words from our amazing guests throughout the series. We hope you’ll follow along on our journey by following us on social media and signing up to receive our newsletter.
Find our website here. https://mothersfordemocracyinstitute.org/ 
Want to get engaged in supporting local public schools? Find our resource guide here. https://mothersfordemocracyinstitute.org/
If you’d like to help us keep this critical content coming, donate here. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/saynotovouchers


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Texas Governor Abbott is fast-tracking vouchers to destabilize public education as soon as this fall 2023. The Voucher Scam won't just explain the voucher threat, it will reveal the motivations behind this attack on a cornerstone of democracy and equality. We aim to give the public the truth before it's too late. 
We know that we can stop vouchers if we work together. We can use your help. Please leave us a review. Tell a friend. Donate to our campaign here.

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The Texas voucher fight is full of twists and turns! And we’re still in it! The third special session ended with no voucher bill but Governor Abbott called a fourth special session immediately following its close. As of November 10, 2023, the House Special Select Committee referred a bill, HB1, that includes both education funding and a voucher program to the floor for consideration. It is expected to be heard this week. 
This is the first time a floor vote will be taken on vouchers since 2005. It is cause for concern and there’s also so much hope. On the one hand, vouchers have moved forward. On the other hand, we have reason to believe that rural Republicans will continue to hold the line. We also believe in the power of our voices as Texans.
So, we turned the mic over to our listeners this week. They share their praise for public education and their concerns about vouchers. Thank you to the folks who we hear from and thank you for listening. 
Want to get engaged in supporting local public schools? Find our resource guide here. https://mothersfordemocracyinstitute.org/
If you’d like to help us keep this critical content coming, donate here. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/saynotovouchers

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