Sticking it to Texas’ schoolchildren

One of this past week’s biggest stories in Texas education, first reported by the Texas Tribune, was that Steve Lecholop, a Texas Education Agency deputy commissioner with San Antonio roots, was secretly recorded saying school voucher programs would reduce funding to public schools.

That school vouchers would defund public schools isn’t breaking news. But the audio recording posted on YouTube by Lynn Davenport, a conservative commentator and public school parent, provides behindthe-scenes insight into TEA, the agency charged with “(improving) outcomes for all public school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.”

In the no-longer-secret recording, Lecholop said Gov. Greg Abbott’s speechwriter asked him to find frustrated parents who were let down by their children’s traditional public schools to help build the case for vouchers.

Here’s part of what Lecholop said in the recording: “School districts, what they have to do if they lose a student, (is) be smart about how they allocate their resources and maybe that’s one less fourth grade teacher.”

There already aren’t enough teachers — or funding — for Texas schools. But what really stings is when Lecholop told a woman how sharing her story would be “a good way for you to stick it to Joshua ISD” in North Texas.

Why would anyone, especially a leader at TEA, want to “stick it” to any school district? Abbott’s top education priority is not to use some of the state’s $33 billion surplus to improve schools or establish new permanent funding sources for public education, it’s to codify school vouchers for private schools.

Lecholop, a former teacher who served eight years as a San Antonio Independent School District school board trustee, told the Express-News in 2021 during his campaign that his challengers were “acting like wolves in sheep’s clothing and their goal is to undo the great things the district has been doing.”

I want to believe Lecholop wants the best for all students, but in this new role, it’s hard not to picture him as the wolf. Before this moment, he had said all the right things. The Express-News Editorial Board endorsed him in his last run for re-election to the school board in 2021, which he lost.

In an April 16, 2021, KLRN

SAISD school board candidate forum, Lecholop said he was especially proud that the board had increased academic options for students and families through new school models and building up neighborhood schools with additional programming “so that every student and family in our district can find a best fit school.”

After Lecholop’s 2021 reelection loss, a parent named Tiffany O’Neill replied on Lecholop’s Facebook post that she was grateful for his work on the SAISD school board: “If you hadn’t pushed so much change we’d likely be sending her to a charter. … we can’t afford private school. I can’t wait to see what you do next.”

This, of course, is bigger than Lecholop. What he said in the recording supports a vigorous effort by Texas GOP elected leaders to dismantle — not build or improve — traditional public school education for all students, especially those in poverty.

In its article, the Texas Tribune stated: “The TEA did not immediately respond to a question about whether it’s appropriate for an agency employee to help the governor with a political issue.”

We all know the answer is no.

The parent on the recording wasn’t concerned only about fixing Texas education for her child but about all the other children and parents who won’t be able to afford private school, even with school voucher programs.

She’s right. Hopefully, voucher legislation won’t pass. The votes do not appear to be there in the Texas House. But if vouchers do pass, students will be left behind. That’s whom our state would be sticking it to.

Lecholop