Texas voucher programme excludes Islamic schools, sparking legal fight

Texas Governor Greg Abbott

A new school voucher programme in Texas is already facing controversy before it even begins. State officials have excluded around two dozen Islamic schools from the programme, arguing that some of them have links to a Muslim civil rights group the state has labelled a terrorist organisation.

The move has angered many Muslim families and educators, who say the decision unfairly targets Islamic schools and denies their students access to public education funding, the Washington Post reported.

What the voucher programme does

The voucher scheme, backed by Governor Greg Abbott, is expected to be one of the largest in the United States. It will give families about USD10,474 per student each year to help pay for private school tuition or other education expenses.

Students with disabilities could receive up to USD 30,000 annually, while home-schooled students may qualify for smaller payments.

The programme is scheduled to begin next school year and has already attracted strong interest. More than 160,000 students have signed up, and more than 2,200 schools have been approved to participate.

Why Islamic schools were excluded

The controversy stems from a decision by the state’s comptroller to block schools that had hosted events organized by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, widely known as CAIR.

Abbott declared CAIR a terrorist organization in November, citing a report suggesting the group emerged in the 1990s from a network connected to pro-Hamas organisations. CAIR strongly denies those allegations and is not listed as a terrorist group by the US federal government.

Muslim community leaders say the state is using that designation to exclude Islamic schools broadly, even though some of the schools reportedly had no direct relationship with CAIR.

Why families say the decision matters

For many families, the exclusion has financial consequences. Parents who send their children to Islamic schools will not be able to use voucher funds toward tuition.

One parent who has filed a lawsuit against the state says the programme would have covered most of the USD17,900 he pays annually for his two children’s schooling.

He argues that the decision amounts to religious discrimination because families choosing Islamic schools are effectively denied the same benefits available to those attending Christian, Jewish or secular private schools.

The legal challenge

The lawsuit asks a judge to stop the state from excluding schools based on religion. It names several state officials, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, as defendants.

Advocates for private schools say the state should allow schools to prove that they have no ties to terrorist groups before banning them from the programme.

They argue that many of the Islamic schools involved are well-established community institutions that simply want access to the same education funding available to other private schools.

A similar debate emerging in Florida

A comparable dispute may soon emerge in Florida. Governor Ron DeSantis has also labelled CAIR a terrorist organization in a state order.

Although a federal judge temporarily blocked that order, Florida lawmakers are considering legislation that would allow state officials to designate certain groups as terrorist organizations and block schools linked to them from receiving voucher funds.

Supporters of the proposal say it is necessary to ensure taxpayer money does not go to organizations connected to extremism. Critics say the policy could easily be used to target religious or political groups.

Why the debate could spread

The outcome of these disputes could have wider implications. The United States is preparing to launch its first federal voucher-style education tax credit programme in 2027, which will encourage donations to organizations that help families pay private school tuition.

Muslim school groups say they worry that if states can exclude schools based on disputed political labels, similar decisions could appear in other voucher programmes as well.

For now, the issue is likely to be settled in court. But the fight in Texas has already raised a broader question: who gets to benefit when public money is used to support private education.