No more Friday Night Lights?

As a parent, I’ve seen firsthand how extracurriculars like music and sports keep kids in school and unite the community. My daughter played the flute in the San Marcos High School marching band, which made all the difference for her. Serving as band volunteers made our whole family feel part of the community.

But extracurricular programs require money, and much less of that will be available if funds leave with private school students. Parental choice legislation, a misleading term for vouchers, is the beginning of the end of Friday Night Lights, because the money required to fund vouchers will rob public schools of funding for, among other things, sports and music programs. Few private schools will be able to do things like build stadiums and performance venues, foster young talent, or field competitive teams.

Let’s give public schools the money required to fund robust extracurricular programs, to fairly compensate teachers for their hard work, to reduce class sizes, to hire staff who can assist with discipline and mental health counseling, and to keep our schools safe. Let’s say NO to vouchers and yes to Friday Night Lights!