Leilani Barnett believes the future of Texas depends on a strong, fully-funded public school system that serves every child—regardless of their ZIP code, family income, or learning needs. School vouchers fail that basic test of fairness. They siphon public dollars away from neighborhood schools and redirect them to private institutions that are not held to the same transparency, accountability, or nondiscrimination standards. In a state already struggling with teacher shortages, outdated classrooms, and widening achievement gaps, vouchers deepen inequity rather than solve it. Here in District 69, public schools are the backbone of our communities. They are where children learn, families gather, and neighborhoods grow. When we fund them adequately—raising teacher pay, modernizing buildings, reducing class sizes, and expanding mental-health supports—we invest not just in student success, but in Texas’ long-term economic strength. Every child deserves a safe, well-resourced school, not a system that picks winners and losers based on family income. Texas families did not ask for vouchers. They are asking for excellent public schools. And the data is clear: no voucher program in the country has improved outcomes system-wide. Real progress comes from investing in what works. Strong public schools lift all Texans—and that’s where our commitment and our dollars should go.Is this conversation helpful so far?
