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Friday night lights with a dose of politics: Abbott rallies for school choice at homecoming games

Abbott took the stage at the Parents Matter Tailgate at Cornerstone Christian School seeking support for his controversial school voucher bill.

SAN ANTONIO — It's Friday night lights in San Antonio with a dose of politics on the sidelines.

Governor Greg Abbott is taking his push for school choice in Texas to the gridiron.

Friday night, Abbott took the stage at the Parents Matter Tailgate at Cornerstone Christian School, hosted by the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The rally was one of at least two held over the past two months, the other taking place in Dallas in September.

Hundreds attended the tailgate, which took place before Cornerstone's homecoming football game.

The school voucher bill has been highly controversial. Lawmakers have been unable to come to an agreement on the measure, so Friday's tailgate was Governor Abbott's attempt to rally support for his vision of school choice.

"School choice makes public schools even better," said Abbott on stage Friday. "No teacher, no educator, no government employee knows your child or loves your child as much as a parent does."

If passed, the school choice bill would allow families to use taxpayer-funded education savings accounts so their children can attend private schools.

Debra Jimenez, who has seven grandchildren attending Cornerstone Christian School, supports the governor's plan.

"What parent wouldn't want to sacrifice for their children for their future? This makes a way so they won't have to sacrifice everything for their future," said Jimenez. "If they get the vouchers, parents who think they can't afford it, they can."

As Governor Abbott addressed Cornerstone families, protestors with Mothers Against Greg Abbott stood along the school fence ringing cowbells. Protestors believe public funds shouldn't go toward private schools.

"We rank 43rd for per student funding. That's not acceptable and to take more money away from our underfunded public schools, that's something that we want to protest," said Michelle Lowe Solis, Volunteer with Mothers Against Greg Abbott and a leader of Bexar County Democrats. "Our public school teachers are among the worst paid in the nation. $7,500 on average below the national average. To hold our public school teachers and our public school children hostage is just not ok."

The education savings accounts plan did pass the Texas Senate during the current special session, but didn't gain any movement in the House. Most Democrats and rural Republican leaders have voiced opposition to school vouchers.

Governor Abbott said he's willing to add teacher pay to the special session as soon as his voucher law passes.

If Abbott remains unsuccessful, he plans to tackle the issue again in a fourth special legislative session.

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