Rep. Jason Hughes, D-Louisiana, announced his vote on school choice in the Appropriations Committee, inflicting a loss on his party, which typically votes against the issue.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Hughes discussed the state’s bill, HB745, which could create Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). The ESA model has been adopted by several states to provide parents with access to public funds to cover various educational costs, such as private school tuition, materials, and homeschooling costs. Parents are allowed to choose the school. (Related: Sarah Huckabee Sanders Announces Significant Expansion of School Choices for Children of Veterans and First Responders)
During the meeting, Hughes asked Danny Garrett, executive director of the Louisiana State Board of Education, about his opposition to the bill, pointing out the benefits of public schools from his personal experience and people he has interacted with. I was seen. Garrett said that while there are “good reasons” for parents to send their children to one school or the other from a “spending standpoint,” he doesn’t think representatives should turn a blind eye to the “impact.” Ta.
“Of course I am not turning a blind eye to that. But with all due respect, I cannot close my eyes to the fact that 67% of third graders in our public schools cannot read. “So we can’t close our eyes to the number of children who are stuck in failing schools and living in poverty. Got it?” Hughes replied.
Louisiana Democratic Congressman Jason Hughes:
“We cannot close our eyes to the fact that 67% of third graders in public schools cannot read.
We cannot close our eyes to the number of children in our state who are stuck in failing schools and living in poverty. ”
He just voted for school choice today. pic.twitter.com/Esa6BTErqa
— Corey A. DeAngelis, School Choice Evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) April 2, 2024
“So what does that family do? When a child is stuck in a failing school and the parents are working minimum wage and can’t afford to do anything but send their child to a failing school. What should we do? Do we just say “sorry” and leave the child in a failing school? What can we do in that child’s place? ”
After the meeting, the bill became: passed it It was passed by the Louisiana Appropriations Committee on a 13-9 vote, making Hughes the only Democrat to vote for the ESA model. If approved by the House, Louisiana could become the next state to join the ESA model, following Alabama, which became the first state to approve the program in 2024.
