Texas lawmakers backing school vouchers also pushed far-right education policies

Republicans have held solid majorities in the Texas House and Senate for more than 20 years, but controversial education policies are now putting that long-standing control at risk.

Last year, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott pushed the Texas Legislature to pass a school voucher plan that would allow private schools to receive public funds. A coalition of Democrats and rural Republicans blocked the proposal saying it would strip funds away from public schools.

Abbott retaliated by backing far-right primary challengers to the anti-voucher Republicans. Many of these challengers won, paving the way for the voucher proposal to possibly pass in the next legislative session. Now, Democrats are targeting vulnerable Republicans over their support for vouchers and other divisive school reforms.

One such Republican is state Rep. Angie Chen Button who has represented portions of Dallas since 2009. In addition to backing Abbott’s voucher push, Button has been endorsed by multiple school voucher advocacy groups, including the LIBRE Initiative, the American Federation for Children, and the Texas HomeSchool Coalition.

In 2017, Button voted for SB 1882, a bill that provides additional funding to school districts that hire charter schools, universities, or other nonprofits to run public schools. Under this model, schools are required to meet state academic standards but the outside entities have the final say on staffing, budgeting, and daily management.

The bill passed despite opposition from teachers’ unions who said it was an attempt to privatize public schools and erode protections for school employees. The unions also said the bill would disproportionately impact schools in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods that are already in dire need of additional funding.

Another proponent of Abbott’s voucher plan is state Rep. Janie Lopez who represents portions of the Rio Grande Valley. Under the voucher system, religious private schools would be eligible for taxpayer funding. Lopez has gone further and backed efforts to insert Christian doctrine into public school curriculums.

In 2023, Lopez co-authored HB 1605, a bill that offers additional funding to elementary schools that adopt recommended instructional materials with overtly Christian themes. Kindergarteners, for example, learn about Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Opponents of HB 1605 say the law blurs the line between Church and state in a potentially unconstitutional way.

Lopez has also backed efforts to provide every public school student with a free Bible and to allow uncertified religious chaplains to serve as school counselors.

Non-incumbents are also being targeted for their support of school vouchers. 

In San Antonio, Marc LaHood is running to represent state House District 121. LaHood has described himself as “unashamedly” pro-voucher. According to the Texas Ethics Commission, he has accepted more than $150,000 in donations from the Family Empowerment Coalition, a dark money group that backs pro-voucher candidates. 

LaHood, like Lopez, has also pushed for more religion in schools. In December 2023, he said he was running to “bring prayer back” to public schools. In February 2024, he claimed, without evidence, that public schools are trying to indoctrinate students with “progressive ideology.”

In District 74, Republican candidate Robert Garza has also been endorsed by pro-voucher groups, including the Family Empowerment Coalition and the Texas HomeSchool Coalition.

Button, Lopez, and LaHood were all explicitly endorsed by Abbott for their support of his school voucher program.