After the initial shock of the leaked memo hinting that the Supreme Court’s intent to overturn Roe v. Wade wore off, people then looked toward words written by Associate Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito in the opinion. There’s the potential that the conservative-slanted high court could undo other rights. According to the Austin-American Statesman, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott stated his administration would consider challenging a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision requiring states to offer free public education to all children.
Plyer v. Doe is a case that voided Texas education laws in 1975 allowing the state to withhold state funds from local districts for educating children of undocumented immigrants. The Supreme Court held that all children, regardless of their immigration status, are entitled to access public education.
From the Austin-American Statesman:
“Texas already long ago sued the federal government about having to incur the costs of the education program, in a case called Plyler versus Doe,” Abbott said, speaking during an appearance on the Joe Pags show, a conservative radio talk show. “And the Supreme Court ruled against us on the issue. ... I think we will resurrect that case and challenge this issue again, because the expenses are extraordinary and the times are different than when Plyler versus Doe was issued many decades ago.”
Gov. Abbott, who is currently up for re-election in November, has made immigration issues a central point in his campaign–doing things like bussing migrants to Washington D.C. and a “safety inspection” initiative which incurred a billion-dollar a week loss for U.S. Trade. Abbott then made overtures to the cost of educating undocumented immigrants, but did not specify how much.
“I think we will resurrect that case and challenge this issue again because the expenses are extraordinary, and the times are different than when Plyler versus Doe was issued many decades ago,” Abbott said.