When legislators convene in Austin next week, reducing the tax burden on property owners will be near the top of the to-do list. But no matter what schemes that lawmakers concoct, we can be certain that fundamental reform won’t occur.
Government schools in Texas are funded primarily through property taxes. State officials will be faced with the task of reducing property taxes while ensuring that government schools remain adequately funded. If they are successful, this simply means that the tax burden will be shifted from property owners to other Texans–the money has to come from someone.
Fundamental reform won’t occur because it is highly unlikely that anyone will question the premise underlying the entire issue. While seeking to provide relief to property owners, Republicans will raise a cacophony about the need to provide a decent education to all Texas schoolchildren. And Democrats will whine about the need for more money in minority school districts. Nobody will utter a peep to question whether government schools should even exist.
The issue would not even exist if government schools were abolished. There would be no political debates about how to fund schools, over curriculum and textbooks, or any of the other controversies that regularly arise over government education. Tax payers wouldn’t not be forced to throw money down the black hole that is government schools.
Prior to the Civil War, nearly all education in America was provided by the private sector. There were no controversies over funding because parents took responsibility for educating their children. You can learn more about the history of private education, as well as contemporary examples, by clicking here.