March 21, 2017      9:46 PM

Under cloud of bogus school voucher letters, Senate holds late night hearing on vouchers

All the promises of miracles happening in private schools quickly start to sound like a multi-level marketing convention

Texans have probably never done more, spent more or hired more lobbyists to promote the idea that the state needs to move forward with school choice legislation.

At last count, Texans for Educational Opportunity had a dozen lobbyists on its payroll, including Mike Toomey, Bill Messer and John Colyandro. Thousands of endorsements – albeit bogus form letters – have gone out from Austin to lawmakers in both chambers. And supporters of school choice have spared no expense to put together a polished pro-choice message in front of lawmakers, a strategy that appeared to resonate with Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville.

The only bill on the agenda in Senate Education was Senate Bill 3. The committee is stacked this session with Republicans most favorable to a vote on school choice. Democrat Lucio, for one, also has warmed to the argument that disinterested parents will finally be involved with their children’s lives if they are given the right to choose.

By Kimberly Reeves

Copyright March 21, 2017, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved