'Private school voucher' bill approved by Senate panel
The Senate Education Committee on Thursday approved a bill that would redirect state money to help students pay for private school tuition among other non-public educational expenses.
Senate Bill 3, which has emerged as one of the most divisive education measures so far this session, won the approval of seven senators in the committee — Eddie Lucio, Jr. of Brownsville was the only Democrat to vote in favor — while three senators — Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo; Royce West, D-Dallas; and Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio — voted against it.
Seliger told his colleagues that he was concerned that the bill would not hold private schools and other institutions that would benefit from the bill to the same accountability standards as public schools. He also said he was concerned that public money could go to support a Muslim private school that could teach anti-American principles.
“We must as Americans ardently defend their right do that. What we’re not obligated to do is spend public money on indoctrination and curriculum like that,” he said.
Read more: http://www.mystatesman.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/private-school-voucher-bill-approved-senate-panel/PwGMSrqaAkpYmH5TM8MXMK/