SA Catholic school students join 4,000 during School Choice Rally in Austin

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Catholic News Agency

Marching today at the School Choice Rally in Austin,Ā Providence Catholic School 11th grader, Angela Zavala, feels school choice is every familyā€™s right.

ā€œSchool 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 todayā€™s 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.

ā€For 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 Antonioā€™s 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.

ā€œI want everyone to have the same advantages as I do through a Catholic school education,ā€ said Zavala.

ā€œAnd School Choice advocates for this opportunity.ā€