The Original Scam: A Critical Race Policy Discourse Analysis of the School Choice Debate in Texas

Abstract

This study applies a Critical Race Policy Discourse Analysis to examine the rhetoric and ideological underpinnings of Texas’s 2023 school choice debates, particularly the proposed Education Savings Account (ESA) program. Grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT), the research analyzes the discourse surrounding House Bill 1 (88(4) HB 1) using data from legislative texts, gubernatorial press releases, public testimony, and media narratives. Findings reveal that despite race-neutral framing, the discourse both for and against the ESA program is deeply racialized, drawing on historical legacies of segregation and white supremacy. The study identifies three dominant themes: the racial origins of voucher programs as a tool to resist desegregation, the misleading rhetoric of parental empowerment, and the rebranding of school choice as a defense against liberal "indoctrination." Importantly, it highlights the role of white male Republican lawmakers from rural districts who opposed the bill, not necessarily from an anti-racist standpoint, but to protect local public schools from defunding. This research contributes to policy analysis by uncovering how school choice narratives obscure racial inequities while advancing neoliberal agendas, and underscores the need for equity-focused public education policies.