BRYAN, Texas — The battle over the future of Texas education has been heating up as lawmakers take different stances on the school voucher debate that's passed in the Texas Senate, but still awaits votes in the House.
These education bills have been on the top of lawmakers minds, with the Texas senate passing a school voucher bill. Now, the question is how far will it go.
However, it raises grave concern for parents and one public school advocate who is against the bill.
"I really don't think this is gonna pass," said education advocate Judy LeUnes.
Erin Williams, a mother of two special needs children that attend private schools, also fighting to not have the bill signed into law. She believes private funding will strip her child of many resources.
"It's scary, it does scare me," Williams said.
Senate bill 8 passed the $302.6 billion budget with a provision to prevent public money being spent on private schools. If signed into law, the bill would allow families to spend public dollars on private school expenses.
"There's not private schools so they're not gonna get transportation, if they try to come in to a Bryan-College Station to go to school, there's just so many restrictions," said LeUnes.
She explained how many kids aren't always guaranteed a place at a private institution, as opposed to public schools who accept any child.
"Public schools we proudly take every child and that's why I'm an advocate for pubic education," she said.
Bryan ISD Executive Director of Communications and Public Affairs Clay Falls also spoke on behalf of BISD and explained how they're concerned about what effects it will have on taxpayers.
"With the idea of vouchers I worry about the transparency of a public schools in Bryan ISD has to have all these procedures in place for how we track our money, and how its being used and we wanna do what's best for taxpayers," said Falls.
One of the strongest advocates for the bill is Governor Gregg Abbott himself, who claimed "our children are being taught a radical woke agenda" in a rally to gather support.
While the bill still must go through the house next for votes, she is hoping that support from local lawmakers and the community will be enough to keep this bill from passing and having a major effect on public schools.
According to the Texas Tribune, the house votes suggests that Senate Bill 8 may be short of votes needed to pass in the lower chamber to push this bill through.