Dear Principal/Superintendent/School Board Member,

I am the parent of a ____ grader at ______ school. I’m writing with deep concern for recent statements from the White House and executive orders that target inclusive learning and diversity and seek to scare schools away from providing the protection and support students need.

Schools in our community should be a welcoming place for all students, where every child can learn, grow, and thrive in pursuit of their full potential. Recent executive orders, although they cannot change any law, including civil rights laws, are scaring our families and communities. These executive actions do not require any changes to school or district policies or practices. 

I am writing to make sure that the schools in our community continue to support all of our students, respect all of their rights, and continue to work in partnership between families and teachers. Whether we are Black, white, or brown, Native or newcomer, nontheist, transgender, disabled, or not, we want our kids to have the freedom to be themselves and pursue their dreams. All children deserve to learn about our nation’s history, the contributions of all communities, and the unfinished work of building a more perfect union. 

I am asking you, as an educator and a leader, to show the children and families in our community that you will support, protect, and respect them. I am asking that you publicly share our school district’s commitment to welcoming schools where all children are free to learn all that they – and our country – have the potential to be. 

Sincerely,

Dear ,

The current school deficit number should alarm everyone. When increases are proposed, they are always tied to vouchers which will inherently bankrupt public education as well as TRS (teacher retirement system). This means no retirement or another option would be to raise the magic number again to 100 (age plus years of service). Educators will never be able to retire in Texas. 

If there are fewer students, then there are fewer educators paying into a system. Today’s educators pay yesterday’s retirees. If only a fraction are employed due to the decrease in enrollment, they CANNOT sustain the current pension program. 

Vouchers are NOT an attempt to have parent choice. Vouchers are aimed to allow schools the choice. Private schools have applications, interviews, and criteria. A committee decides whether or not a child “fits in” at its school, hence SCHOOL CHOICE.

With almost 60% of our students attending rural districts, what other choices are available to them? But, the district will receive less funds due to the way the bill is written. Vouchers will bankrupt public education and our retirement system. 

So many facets of education will be affected if vouchers pass. 

  1. Class sizes will increase.

    1. Positions will be eliminated.

    2. This will create an even larger division in social class.

    3. Countless positions will not be filled.

    4. CTE programs will be eliminated. It has already begun (welding, Ag science, automotive classes, basically career and technical education courses).

    5. Indefinite salary freezes are expected across the state. 

    6. District contributions of monthly healthcare contributions will be eliminated or reduced. 

    7. TRS would potentially bankrupt. 

    8. School campuses will close.

    9. UIL funding will be decreased. This could dissolve school sports and art programs like dance, band, theater, and cheer altogether. As a result club, select, and competition teams outside of school will be the only opportunity for our youth to participate, ruling out low income youth.

    10. If an influx of students take their $10,000 to private schools, the private schools will need more buildings and teachers which means they will have to increase their tuition to pay for it. It would be a wash, and those students holding their $10,000 vouchers will be $10,000 short again with the tuition increase. 

Private schools are private for a reason. Private means small, exclusive, personalized, and just by definition “something you don’t want to share.” 

Private schools don’t want to grow because then they’ll just turn into public school sizes. That is completely opposite of their environment. Private schools will merely cap their enrollment. 

Circulating rebuttals:

"My child currently attends private school. I’d like that voucher."

"My child is currently homeschooled. I’d like that voucher."

All citizens pay school taxes whether they have children or not or whether they're 22 or 62. The tax is not for their individual child or grandchildren or if they have no children; it’s for the pot of democracy. If parents choose a different path like private or homeschool, then they do not get their school tax back.  

If a person has one child and another has six, does the parent of six have to pay more taxes to receive their $60,000 vouchers?

If others have zero children, can they get a credit? Why do individuals have to pay school taxes if they do not have children in school? 

Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. I look forward to your response and to seeing meaningful steps taken to protect the integrity of our education system.

Sincerely,