Latest News

Huffman Feels The Backlash

January 28, 2025

House Speaker Matt Huffman is feeling the pressure of his anti-public school remarks made earlier this month.

First Huffman said a plan to fully fund public schools at a constitutional level, known as Cupp-Patterson, was “unsustainable,” and then he went even further and said it was a “fantasy.”

Huffman’s fellow lawmakers in the Republican caucus, and remember they elected him Speaker, were not happy because many are from rural areas where public schools are the core of their communities.

The private school voucher scheme that Huffman has championed is draining $1 billion a year away from public schools while enriching private school operators, primarily religious schools, and giving a refund and rebate on tuition to a lot of very wealthy families whose children were already enrolled in private schools.

Now, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to make the connection because the money for vouchers comes from the same line-item in the budget that pays for public schools. A dollar more for vouchers is literally a dollar less available for public schools.

Morgan Trau, a reporter for the Columbus Statehouse bureau whose work appears in numerous media outlets across the state, reported that Huffman and his Republican legislative colleagues went on a private three-day retreat in January where policy was discussed.

Trau reported.

“I’ve confirmed with half a dozen representatives that the speaker’s team gave a presentation about how the current funding formula needs to be cut due to it being “unsustainable.” After the supporters spoke, numerous Republicans stood up to advocate for fully funding public schools, starting a larger discussion.

Some of the lawmakers have been focused on public schools for years. Others haven’t always been the most vocal supporters but still wanted to speak up, while others are education leaders in the state.”

It’s nice to see Huffman feeling the pressure and lawmakers doing the right thing and standing up for public schools, but here’s the sad reality:

When rural Republicans challenged their leadership in states like Tennessee and Texas on the same issue – funding for public schools v. vouchers – those lawmakers suddenly faced primary opponents funded by the Americans For Prosperity.

The rapid expansion of private school vouchers won’t be scaled back in the two-year budget that must be passed by June 30.

Our only recourse is to sue the state, challenging the very constitutionality of the harmful private school voucher scheme, and vouchers go on trial in Franklin County this year.

Is your school district part of the lawsuit? Check here.

If not, why not? Learn how to join here.