How Families Can Deal With The Impact Of Coronavirus
By Carole Hornsby Haynes, Ph.D. March 17, 2020
Even as the nation shuts down to “flatten” the curve of Coronavirus cases, there can be many positives derived from this pandemic. Our Founders traveled via stagecoaches and horseback to gather to create a new nation, often having to wait for days until all could arrive. What our ancestors accomplished is incredible. Today we live in nanoseconds rushing from meeting to meeting, apologetic if we are 20 seconds late, as we become an illiterate nation looming toward another Dark Ages.
In his State of the Union speech, President Trump urged lawmakers to pass a school choice bill. Fortunately, it’s highly unlikely that any such legislation will be passed. The $1 billion competitive grant for vouchers that Trump favors and the federal tax credit scholarship, considered a federal power grab by conservatives, lack Congressional support.
Giving parents the right to choose how they educate their children must be a high priority. 
When Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced an amendment to expand 529 college savings plans to include K-12 education, allowing parents to use these tax-advantage plans for private schools, religious schools, or even homeschools, the Democrats had a meltdown.
On July 18th the Texas Legislature convenes for a special session to address 20 items, one of which is a $1000 pay raise for teachers.
Sparks flew recently when Senator Ted Cruz filed an amendment to the tax reform bill allowing 529 college savings accounts to be expanded to include private, religious, and homeschools. The homeschool associations squared off in separate corners on the homeschool provision.
Texans boast that we’re a national leader on many fronts. However, school choice is not one of them. Half of the states have already enacted school choice while Texas remains entrenched in a 19th century industrial model of education with bureaucrats fighting to preserve their control over how children are educated when it is the right of parents.