Talarico’s School Ad Hides Elite Private School in Background
Texas Senate candidate James Talarico’s education ad features a private school in the background, raising questions about his claims about public education.
2 min read
James Talarico, a Texas Senate candidate, recently released a Spanish-language education-themed campaign ad that has sparked controversy over its portrayal of his teaching experience. The 30-second ad highlights Talarico as someone who fights to ‘open doors for all Texans,’ with students from a poor school he once taught at. However, the backdrop of the ad features a high-cost private school, raising questions about the authenticity of his public education narrative.
A Private School in the Background
The school in the background of the video is the Keystone School, an elite private institution in San Antonio. Tuition at Keystone exceeds $27,500 for high school and $17,000 for pre-K, making it an expensive option for families. While Talarico’s campaign website claims he taught at a school in one of Texas’s poorest zip codes, the ad’s background appears to contradict this claim.
Keystone’s distinctive Cobra logo is visible in the background, including on the gym floor and banners. The ad features former students from a now-shuttered public middle school praising Talarico for inspiring their academic pursuits. One student remarks, ‘It was the first time that I had an adult tell me that the world is hard and it won’t be handed to you,’ while shots of Keystone’s gym are shown in the background.
School Closure and Political Statements
Talarico taught at San Antonio’s Rhodes Middle School, which was closed by the San Antonio Independent School District last year. The closure followed four consecutive years of academically unacceptable ratings. Talarico taught at the school from 2011 to 2013 before entering politics. At the time, he blamed the closure on a ‘systematic attack on public education,’ rather than the school’s poor academic performance.
Talarico’s education platform includes opposition to school vouchers, which could help parents send children to better private schools. He calls vouchers a ‘scam’ and vows to fight school choice programs if elected to the Senate. Meanwhile, Keystone School’s head, William Handmaker, clarified that renting the facility for the ad does not equate to endorsing Talarico.
Source: Daily Wire
