One of the great groups in Texas fighting against the far-right is “Raise Your Hand, Texas.” I am not in 100% agreement with them, since they consider charter schools to be part of public education, failing to recognize that the biggest corporate charter chain in the state is the Harmony chain, which are Gulen schools, run by Turkish nationals who have the chutzpah to take control of public funds meant to educate future citizens.
Nonetheless, Raise Your Hand Texas has produced some absolutely fabulous anti-voucher commercials. Each is very short. I recommend that you watch them.
I expect that these well-produced commercials helped to arouse public opinion against vouchers, which were passed by the Senate but overwhelmingly rejected on Thursday by the House of Representatives. That bipartisan vote made me proud of my native state!
First, Mr. Voucher tried to convince Texans that that Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), tax credit scholarships, and other voucher schemes are good, but instead ended up being schooled about how vouchers hurt Texas students, schools, and taxpayers. Next, he tried to convince Texans that any and all choice is good for students, and again was schooled about the importance of quality school choice–choice with transparency and accountability.
Now, in the third installment in the Mr. Voucher video series, a new monster voucher arrives on the scene – FrankenVoucher – and he’s twice as devastating:
Mr. Voucher III: FrankenVoucher
And just in case you want a refresher on the first two:
Mr. Voucher I: Same Ol’ Mr. Voucher
Mr. Voucher II: Can I pretend to rescue you?
Petri Darby, APR
VP of Marketing
Raise Your Hand Texas
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Raise Your Hand Texas is funded by Charles Butt, a Texas billionaire who went to public schools and he appreciates what they did for him. He inherited his family’s chain of supermarkets across the state. He is the only billionaire I know of who acknowledges the importance of public education and shows his gratitude by supporting them against the voucher vultures.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
It is good to see they have a budget for getting the word out. The Franken Voucher was fun.
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Now Texans should sue the state for fair funding. Both the governor and lieutenant government have been sending money to charters while they cut the budgets of public schools in order to help them fail. The state keeps shifting more fiscal responsibility on local taxpayers, and they keep trying to cut special education services. This is not the best way to deal with a state whose population continues to grow. https://www.texastribune.org/2017/03/28/texas-senate-approves-its-budget-shifting-school-costs-locals/
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This is good news,but there is still a problem. DeVos and vouchers can be beaten back…..without forgetting what happened in the last 8 years thanks to Obama, Arne Duncan, and Bill Gates.
Charters are the big,powerful problem in the goal to destroying public education. Even in places where they are successful, vouchers will soon be recognized as the unconstitutional krap they are.
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Good news, TX. Also, voucherama bill killed in committee here in (gasp!) ILL-Annoy.
Victory for public school students, parents & staff.
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There is an excellent series of documentaries, on education, coming up soon on PBS, Please see
http://www.pbs.org/video/2365991343/
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Here is the broadcast schedule for the PBS Series:
https://www.cato.org/schoolinc/schedule
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Just your cup of tea.
Hatred for public schools.
Love of profit-making in education
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Horace Mann, the great innovator, is a personal hero of mine. I thank you for posting the links.
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