Greg Abbott Gets Scathing Rebuke From Largest Texas Newspaper: ‘Disturbing’

Texas’ largest newspaper, the Houston Chronicle, rebuked Governor Greg Abbott on Sunday in an editorial over a “disturbing” school voucher program.

Texas has long been facing fierce bipartisan resistance to the idea of using state dollars to pay for private school tuition. Meanwhile, the governor had been on a mission this primary season to unseat the House Republicans who repeatedly voted against his school voucher program. Campaign finance reports show that Abbott spent $6.1 million between January 26 and February 24 to deliver on his campaign promise.

Even after calling legislators back for four special sessions, Abbott ultimately lost a yearlong fight to pass a bill that would have given parents educational tax dollars to send their children to private or religious schools instead of public ones. His defeat was largely driven by a united Democratic coalition and about two dozen Republicans who represent rural areas and whose communities oftentimes rely on public schools as a lifeline.

However, school voucher supporters began to emerge following the Lone Star State’s primary on Super Tuesday as Abbott succeeded in gaining the victories of nine pro-voucher newcomers to the House, knocking down the previous nine fellow Republicans who opposed the program.

In an op-ed published by the Chronicle on Sunday titled, “Abbott’s Super Tuesday triumph in voucher battle is no win for Texas” the newspaper’s editorial board warned of the damage Abbott’s “obsession” with school vouchers could do and wrote, “While Abbott exults, schools around the state—large and small, urban and rural—are grappling with massive budget deficits, thanks to Abbott’s voucher obsession and a Legislature diverted during four sessions last year from meeting its constitutional obligation to adequately fund public schools.”

Abbott previously endorsed House Republicans who supported his school voucher program as he remains determined to fight for it. Of the 10 Republican primary challengers whom Abbott endorsed, five prevailed in their races Tuesday night while another three are headed to the state’s May 28 runoff.

The newspaper also wrote in its editorial, “What’s disturbing about the governor’s voucher obsession is his naked obeisance to wealthy special interests who manifestly do not have the best interests of the people of Texas at heart.”

According to the Chronicle, the “wealthy special interests,” in which it names West Texas billionaires Tim Dunn of Midland and the Wilks brothers from Cisco, are looking to “redirect public resources into private Christian education” with the help of the governor.

“Their ultimate aim, even if it’s not necessarily the governor’s, is to transform Texas into a Christian-dominated, biblically based state. Those 21 House Republicans who joined with 63 Democrats to block last year’s voucher proposal understood who benefited and who didn’t. And on Tuesday, many paid the political price. It’s of little consolation, we realize, but we salute their courage,” the newspaper’s editorial board wrote.

Newsweek has reached out to Abbott’s office and the Association of Texas Professional Educators via email for comment.

The Chronicle also warned that based on votes for the House voucher bill during multiple special sessions last fall, Abbott only needed to pick up 11 pro-voucher votes, adding that the governor is “likely to reach his ocean’s 11” in the November general election since the outcome of Super Tuesday.

“Republican primary voters have once again sent an unmistakable message that parents deserve the freedom to choose the best education pathway for their child,” Abbott said in a statement Tuesday evening. “We will continue to help true conservative candidates on the ballot who stand with the majority of their constituents in supporting education freedom for every Texas family.”

Following Super Tuesday’s results, public school advocates raised the alarm about the potential cost to the school system if vouchers become a reality.

The Chronicle wrote that “nearly every school district in Harris County is underfunded and in crisis,” a recent Kinder Institute study determined as more public schools continue to face the same fate.

“To be clear, school choice or vouchers or education savings accounts—whatever the label of choice—is a legitimate policy issue. It deserves vigorous debate,” the newspaper’s editorial board added.