A growing controversy over inclusion of Muslim schools in state voucher programs illustrates a core problem with taxpayer-funded religious education.

As Texas rolls out its $1 billion school voucher program, one of the largest in the country, Islamic schools have faced exclusion amid openly hostile rhetoric from state officials. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has bluntly stated, “We don’t want school choice funds going to radical Islamic indoctrination.”

Abbott’s comment lays bare what voucher proponents often deny: that so-called “school choice” programs are not religiously neutral, but instead invite government officials to pick and choose which religions they favor for public support. Such schemes inevitably lead to discrimination and constitutional violations.

“You can’t have it both ways,” FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor points out. “If taxpayer dollars are going to fund sectarian religious education, then the government is inevitably forced to decide which religious teachings are ‘acceptable’ and which are not, thereby engaging in discrimination against some and favoritism toward others. That’s precisely the kind of action the Constitution forbids.”

Already, some Islamic schools are suing, alleging religious discrimination after being excluded from participation while Christian schools are invited to receive public funds. Even as courts have intervened to allow applications, Texas officials continue to signal resistance to including Islamic institutions.

At the same time, lawmakers in other states are advancing policies that explicitly target Muslim-affiliated schools. In Florida, recent legislation threatens to strip voucher funding from schools tied, often speculatively, to organizations labeled as “terrorist,” raising serious concerns about religious profiling and government overreach.

FFRF emphasizes that this is not an isolated problem, but an inherent feature of voucher schemes.

“When public money is diverted to religious schools, discrimination is not a bug, it’s the system working as designed,” Gaylor explains. “Today, it’s Muslim schools being targeted. Tomorrow, it could be another minority faith. The only consistent and constitutional solution is to keep taxpayer dollars out of religiously segregated schools altogether.”

Voucher advocates champion public funding for Christian schools, insisting these programs are about “freedom” and “neutrality,” but sing a different tune when their tax dollars might go to support religions they do not subscribe to. 

“Tax dollars should go only to public schools, which welcome all-comers and are dedicated to teaching, not indoctrinating in religion,” adds Gaylor.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation objects to citizens being taxed to support any religion, and especially being used to proselytize students.

FFRF will continue to oppose voucher programs nationwide and defend the constitutional separation between state and church.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to defending the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters relating to nontheism. With about 42,000 members, FFRF is the largest association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics and humanists) in North America. For more information, visit ffrf.org.

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