Texas House District 10’s Republican Rep. Brian Harrison has weighed in on some of the top issues facing the Texas electorate.
Harrison spoke to The Dallas Express immediately after stumping for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz at an event in Coppell, asking the incumbent representative about his views of the state of the race.
He said, “Texas [will] stay red and will re-elect Trump and Cruz.”
By all accounts, a significant shakeup could be coming in Texas public education.
The groundwork to pass or thwart a bill that would enable a statewide school choice program and other reforms is already being laid, and local Republican party meetings have become sparring grounds for various reformist factions, DX previously reported.
On school choice, Harrison said that he is “optimistic.”
“We’ve never had a better chance than next session [for passing a school choice bill],” he said.
“Every child deserves a quality education,” Harrison said, adding, “I agree with Ted Cruz; it is the civil rights issue of our time.”
Other Republican nominees and representatives have come out in favor of a choice program, with Gov. Greg Abbott saying this past spring, “While we did not win every race we fought in, the overall message from this year’s primaries is clear: Texans want school choice. Opponents of school choice can no longer ignore the will of the people,” DX reported.
School choice is a policy that allows parents to select the educational setting—such as public, charter, private, or homeschooling—that best fits their child’s needs, often with public funding or support. This policy aims to increase educational options by redirecting funding to follow the students rather than assigning them to schools based on residential zones.
Proponents argue that school choice enhances educational access and customization, while critics worry that it may impact funding for traditional public schools.
Coalitions from rural and urban communities have previously rejected previous attempts to pass a school choice bill in Texas. They believe that the proposed legislation would negatively impact local educational institutions, which often serve as significant employers and provide essential daytime supervision for children in those areas.
Public opinion has swayed on the topic. However, recent polling found that 65% of Texans backed proposals to establish school choice programs, DX reported.
