Texas Muslim families claim they were “shut out” of school voucher program
Islamic schools can now apply after the extension, but it does not guarantee acceptance
Texas families have two more weeks to apply for the state’s school voucher program. That’s because of two new lawsuits that claim the state is excluding Islamic private schools from participating.
The court order mandates that the Islamic schools mentioned in the lawsuits must receive registration links within 24 hours to submit applications for the TEFA program. But it does not guarantee them acceptance, CBS News reported.
The state comptroller’s office runs the voucher program. In January, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the agency has the right to exclude schools from participating.
Paxton’s example was that if a school was found to be providing material support to a designated terrorist organization, it could be ineligible for the program.
One parent’s lawsuit claims that designation is being used as a “pretext to exclude Islamic schools from TEFA based on broad, guilt-by-association theories that treat hosting community events, facilitating civic education, or being located at addresses where Islamic organizations have met as disqualifying ‘ties’ to terrorism.”
One of the lawsuits filed by a parent in Houston argues his two children cannot apply for vouchers because their accredited Islamic school was not included. He claims it violates constitutional rights, such as freedom of religion.
The new deadline for all families to apply is March 31.