About this episode

Fred Jones discusses the detrimental impact of voucher programs on public schools and their historical roots in segregation resistance.

Vouchers aren't new—they're the same resistance to integration we've been fighting since 1954. Fred Jones (Southern Education Foundation) joins the class to trace a direct line from Brown v. Board of Education to today's federal tax credit voucher program. The history is ugly: after Brown, Southern states created 450 laws to block desegregation. They funneled public money to "segregation academies"—and 300 still exist today. Now it's happening again. The 2026 federal voucher program lets families earning up to $491,700 in some areas access public dollars for private schools that can legally discriminate. Meanwhile, public schools lose $51 billion annually.Fred breaks down what vouchers actually are, who benefits (hint: not Black families), and what the data shows after 50 years of failure. Most importantly, he tells us exactly what to do right now, whether you're a parent, educator, or concerned citizen. Class, the babies are watching. What are we teaching them? Read the Full Report: Federal Tax Credit Voucher Program Memo - Southern Education Foundation Organizations Fighting for Public Education: Southern Education Foundation Public Funds for Public Schools Education Law Center…

People in this episode

Hosts: Dr. David J. Johns, Thomas Cunningham IV

Guest: Fred Jones

Topics covered

• vouchers
• public education
• desegregation
• federal tax credit
• school funding
• education policy

Keywords

• vouchers
• public schools
• segregation academies
• federal tax credit
• education funding
• Brown v. Board
• desegregation laws
• Southern states
• accountability data

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Southern Education Foundation, Public Funds for Public Schools, Education Law Center, Learning Policy Institute

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