SA Catholic school students join 4,000 during School Choice Rally in Austin
Posted by:
Catholic News Agency
Topics:
Marching today at the School Choice Rally in Austin,Ā Providence Catholic School 11th grader, Angela Zavala, feels school choice is every familyās right.
āSchool choice enables students to have options in their education, and I believe no matter what background you come from, it is your civil right to have your choice in education,ā said Zavala.
She joined 200 students from eight Catholic schools from the Archdiocese of San Antonio, along with 1,000 Catholic school students from across the state in todayās School Choice Rally at the Texas Capitol. Ā The rally is during National School Choice Week where similar events are held around the country.
The rally, with an estimated 4000 in attendance, began with a march through the Capitol grounds leading to the South Capitol steps. Students and supporters of parental choice heard from several legislators including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Gov. Greg Abbott.
āFor our Catholic School family, it was a day to celebrate our choice to give our children a faith-centered education and our hope that legislation will be passed during the session to help us make that choice a financially viable one for all families,ā said Amy Hone, director ofĀ Hope for the Future, the Archdiocese of San Antonioās Catholic school tuition assistance office.
The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishop (TCCB), which coordinated the rally for Catholic schools, is actively supportingĀ Tax Credit Scholarship legislation to make parental choice a reality in Texas.
Specifically, SB 542 and HB 1184 which would allow Texas insurance companies to receive an insurance premium tax credit when they contribute to a K-12 scholarship funding organization that provides scholarships to students with financial and academic need. TCCB noted the bill is not a voucher. Similar programs have been in place in Florida and Pennsylvania since 2001, and is currently in 17 other states.
āI want everyone to have the same advantages as I do through a Catholic school education,ā said Zavala.
āAnd School Choice advocates for this opportunity.ā