Muslim Father Sues Texas Over Exclusion of Islamic Schools From $1 Billion Voucher Program

A Muslim father in Texas filed a lawsuit against Attorney General Ken Paxton and Comptroller Kelly Hancock, alleging that Islamic schools were excluded from the state's new $1 billion private school financial aid voucher program.

Since applications opened in February 2026, no accredited private Islamic schools have been listed as eligible for the program. The lawsuit argues that the "blanket exclusion" based on religious affiliation violates the U.S. Constitution's equal protection and free exercise clauses.

The Texas voucher program was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott and allows families to use public funds to pay for private school tuition. The program is one of the largest school choice initiatives in U.S. history.

The lawsuit comes after Governor Abbott designated the Council on American-Islamic Relations as a "foreign terrorist organization," a move that critics said was politically motivated and legally unfounded.

Religious freedom advocates from multiple faith traditions have expressed concern about the exclusion. Several Christian and Jewish organizations filed amicus briefs supporting the lawsuit, arguing that religious discrimination in government programs harms all faith communities.

"If the government can exclude one religion from a public benefit program, it can exclude any religion," said one attorney involved in the case.

The case is being watched closely by legal experts who say it could have implications for school voucher programs in other states. The Supreme Court has ruled in recent years that states cannot exclude religious schools from generally available public benefit programs.

Texas has the second-largest Muslim population in the United States. The state is home to hundreds of Islamic schools serving tens of thousands of students.