Wants parents to have choices about education

Dallas Morning News | James Leininger:

“My resolve is firm and my political activities unambiguous: Those who support helping the neediest children escape failing schools will receive my support, and I will vigorously oppose those who force needy children to be trapped in bad and dangerous schools.”

Ed Cognoski responds:

James Leininger's approach is unambiguous. If he can't get the Texas Legislature to go along with his political agenda, he will buy a new Texas Legislature. He is pouring well over a million dollars into just a handful of races across the state in an attempt to defeat candidates who oppose diverting taxpayer dollars to an educational voucher system.

The state is already dangerously underfunding public education. The Supreme Court found that "the public education system has reached the point where continued improvement will not be possible absent significant change, whether that change take the form of increased funding, improved efficiencies, or better methods of education."

Vouchers drain yet more money from public education without increasing efficiencies or improving methods. Taxpayer money would be diverted to private and religious schools that are not accountable for meeting state standards of educational attainment by their students. Taxpayers would be giving money to private schools and giving up public control of how that money is spent. It will be the worst possible outcome. Public schools would have even less adequate funding. Public money would end up in pockets with no accountability as to how it's spent. Mr Leininger's millions would be better spent on education itself.