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Top Stories: Educators To Rally In Austin Against School Vouchers

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The top local stories this morning from KERA News: The Dallas-based chapter of the American Federation of Teachers this morning will join other educators in Austin to lobby lawmakers against school vouchers.  

In the Senate, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick has thrown his support behind a bill that would allow parents to use taxpayer money to move their children from public to private schools. The House is less enthusiastic about the idea.

Teachers are also concerned about school funding. A proposed House bill would pump an extra $1.6 billion into public schools. Educators also plan to rally on the Capitol steps today at noon. 

Other stories this morning:

  • As about 50 people outside protested his father’s policies, Donald Trump Jr. and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz spoke at a Republican fundraising party in Dallas over the weekend.
  • An estimated 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease, and half don’t know it.
  • The South by Southwest film festival is underway in Austin. Over 250 films will be screened over nine days.  Check out our SXSW coverage here.

You can listen to North Texas stories weekdays at 8:22 a.m. and 6:20 p.m. on KERA 90.1 FM.

Former KERA staffer Krystina Martinez was an assistant producer. She produced local content for Morning Edition and KERANews.org. She also produced The Friday Conversation, a weekly series of conversations with North Texas newsmakers. Krystina was also the backup newscaster for the Texas Standard.