In 2006, Milton Friedman, economist and school choice advocate since 1955, right after Brown v Board desegregated schools, spelled out what the goals really are: abolish the public school system. And if they can’t do that, vouchers. Feel familiar? #publicschools
Here is Milton Friedman in 1955 on why we shouldn’t have free public schools.
“The advantage of imposing the costs on the parents is that it would tend to equalize the social and private costs of having children and so promote a better distribution of families by size.”
Friedman discussing lower birth rates among the wealthy (and why schools shouldn’t be free):
“children are relatively more expensive to [high socioeconomic folks], thanks in considerable measure to the higher standards of education they maintain and the costs of which they bear.”
Friedman does touch on movements post Brown v Board.
“Under such a [privately controlled school] system, there can develop exclusively white schools, exclusively colored schools, and mixed schools. Parents can choose which to send their children to.”
Ya know, “school choice”
More Friedman in 1955, on vouchers for private segregation academies “The appropriate activity for those who oppose segregation and racial prejudice is to try to persuade others of their views; if and as they succeed, the mixed schools will grow at the expense of the nonmixed.”
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Mapping the 💰 flowing from billionaires & millionaires into PAC and to candidates, all in the name of kneecapping Texas public education (and getting those public tax dollars, allowing them to segregate, indoctrinate, and line pockets) is illuminating.
#txlege #txed (1/10)
Billionaire Jeff Yass dropped $16,700,000, with $10.25 million going to Gov Greg Abbott, $5.7 mil to AFC Victory Fund, and $750k to Lt Gov Dan Patrick. All to drive vouchers. (2/10)
Gov Greg Abbott took the money from Yass and other "we want vouchers" donor money and dropped a ton of it into a whole series of pro-voucher candidates in the Republican Primaries. (3/10)
TX Pres Election Outcomes
2000 - 38.0% Dem v 59.3% Rep (George Bush)
2004 - 38.2% D v 61.1% R (Bush)
2008 - 43.7% D v 55.5% R (John McCain)
2012 - 41.4% D v 57.2% R (Mitt Romney)
2016 - 43.2% D v 52.2% R (Donald Trump)
2020 - 46.5% D v 52.1% R (Trump)
There is a trend
There is a trend that shows Texas moving closer to blue. But Texas is a big state. It isn’t getting blue everywhere. I’m going to show you some trends on votes for Republicans and the diversity of the population.
I think you will see the same thing I do.
#txlege
We will start with 2000 and plot all 254 counties, their voting outcomes and their % of population identifying as White Alone, Not Hispanic or Latino (as collected by the US Census Bureau). By and large, as a county has a population that is more “white”, they vote more Republican
Texas Federation for Children
AFC Victory Fund
Family Empowerment Coalition
Texans for Educational Freedom
TUCM
Texas Public Policy Foundation
School Freedom Fund
Club for Growth Action
If you want to understand the push for vouchers in Texas, where it has been tried over and over but has never gotten across a finish line, you need only follow the money to figure out this has been a multi-year (heck, multi-decade) push to erode trust in public education.
They have purposely seeded propaganda in certain faith communities, and waited for a party to be fully overtaken and run by a version of faith that intertwines politics, racism, patriarchy, and a disdain for critical thinking.
Yes, the Trump hawked “God Bless The USA” bible is a new thing, but blatantly #ChristianNationalism bibles have been out there for 15+ years.
Two examples:
American Patriot’s Bible
The Founder’s Bible (yes, David Barton)
These intermingle “history” next to verses.
#SINIFI
Here are sample pages from “American Patriot’s Bible”, published in 2009.
Interspersed throughout are elements to connect America and Christianity
“a cultural framework that blurs distinctions between Christian and American identity, seeking to enhance and preserve their union”
The Founder’s Bible is loaded with Christian nationalism. Tucked into the text you’ll have full essays on creationism and yes, “What is the separation of church and state”.
Pure David Barton / WallBuilders / Christian nationalism
Christian nationalism has been building for decades. @mentack and I became aware of it living in Granbury, as it took over our hometown. This 🧵 is my attempt to tie together where we've been, what's happening, and what's next.
1st video is Lance Wallnau in 2009. 7 Mountains.
David Barton (and his WallBuilders org) is a false, debunked historian, but he has the ear of many leaders in the Republican Party, including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. Here is Barton in 2011 discussing 7 Mountains dominionism on his WallBuilders Live broadcast. #SINIFI
The push to take over levers of power, to impose religion on all, isn't just a Texas thing (although many of the CN drivers and oligarchs are based in Texas). In 2013, CBN did a story on Pastors & Pews in Iowa. You will see Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Farris & Dan Wilks. #txlege #SINIFI
The fight over vouchers in Texas is coming to a head. @RANewsTX and @HoustonChron collaborated to illustrate the narrative.
It is more than just Wilks and Dunn. Other billionaires are playing too.
Vouchers aren't about kids. It's about money, religion, & race.
#txed #txlege
Vouchers aren't about kids. They are about money, religion, & race. Have been since 1954.
Here are the individual panels from the @RANewsTX and @HoustonChron collaboration to call out what is happening in Texas. (1/4) #txed #txlege #NoVouchers
Vouchers aren't about kids. They are about money, religion, & race. Have been since 1954.
Here are the individual panels from the @RANewsTX and @HoustonChron collaboration to call out what is happening in Texas. (2/4) #txed #txlege #NoVouchers