Article Summary: In 1836, Texans declared independence from a centralist Mexican government that had abolished state autonomy and eroded personal liberty. Today, Texas families face a similar threat as Senate Bill 2 (SB2) centralizes control over education choices under the guise of “school choice.” This article draws a historical parallel between two fights for independence—one for political sovereignty, the other for educational freedom.
The Historical Parallel: 1836
“When a government has ceased to protect the lives, liberty and property of the people, from whom its legitimate powers are derived, and for the advancement of whose happiness it was instituted, and so far from being a guarantee for the enjoyment of those inestimable and inalienable rights . . . We, therefore . . . do hereby resolve and declare . . . that the people of Texas do now constitute a free, Sovereign, and independent republic, and are fully invested with all the rights and attributes which properly belong to independent nations.”
—Texas Declaration of Independence, March 2, 1836
In December 1835, the Mexican government, led by President Antonio López de Santa Anna, abolished the Constitution of 1824 and established a unitary government, the Centralist Republic of Mexico. This abolition gave way to Las Siete Leyes, The Seven Laws, which truncated the autonomy of the states and centralized and strengthened the national government.
What the Centralist Republic Did:
- removed individual states’ power and changed them to departments subject to the direct control of Mexico City
- reduced the legislature to seven-man committees
- required candidates for any office to meet the respective income requirements
- limited voting to those who met certain income requirements
In short, the Centralist Republic centralized power and minimized freedom for the people living under its jurisdiction.
The Modern Parallel: 2025
Today, 190 years later, in the realm of education policy, we face another fight with a Centralist Republic: the Texas Legislature.
181 members determine the lives, liberty, property, and happiness of 32 million.
Just as the Mexican government did in 1835, the 2025 Texas Senate Bill 2 (SB2) attempts to eliminate family choice with its $1 billion “school choice” bill.
What Texas Senate Bill 2 Does:
- places governance over families’ education choices
- subjects those choices, if bound to the program, to the direct control of the state
- establishes committees to decide what education choices fit the program
- grants candidacy for committees to officers chosen by the state
- sets income requirements to determine eligibility and funding levels
Two Declarations of Independence
| Texas 1836 | Education Independence 2025 |
|---|---|
| The Mexican government centralized power under Las Siete Leyes | Texas Legislature centralizes education control under SB2 |
| States reduced to departments controlled by Mexico City | Family choices are subject to state program control |
| Income requirements for candidates and voters | Income requirements determine eligibility and funding |
Why Independence Was—and Is—Necessary
On March 2, 1836, the people of Texas declared their independence from Mexico and soon thereafter became a sovereign nation. Today, Texans must once again declare their independence from educational welfare to maintain autonomy, responsibility, and ownership over their child’s education.
The Case for Independence
We should declare this same independence; independence from the State dictating how we educate our children.
Self-Government vs. Centralized Control
Texans argued that the Mexican government had overstepped its authority—centralizing power, suspending the constitution, and limiting local self-government. Today, SB2 represents a government-run education system that exerts too much control over curriculum, values, and learning methods. Independence is not just a choice but the necessary response to the overreach that does not reflect family needs.
The declaration stressed that, in 1836, Texans were denied the ability to govern themselves locally and make decisions suited to their circumstances. Education independence stresses the same point and promotes parental authority and community-based education rather than state-centralized learning. In short, families, not centralized systems, should decide how children are educated.
Natural Rights Above Government Authority
The declaration echoes Enlightenment ideas that rights like liberty and self-government are inherent, inestimable, and inalienable, not gifts from the state. When the government violates them, people have the right to alter or abolish it. Education independence advocates that parents have a natural right to direct their children’s upbringing and education. This right exists both prior to and above any government involvement.
God, not institutions, grants this blessing, authority, and privilege to parents.
Moral Responsibility
The moral illegitimacy of the Mexican government violated fundamental principles of freedom and justice. Education independence believes parents have a moral responsibility to their families and children, especially when schools conflict with their values, beliefs, or understanding of truth.
Principle Over Convenience
The Mexican government’s shift toward centralization under Santa Anna was portrayed as dangerous and illegitimate. The inflexible, politicized, and disconnected systems of centralized education and schools threaten freedom, responsiveness, and accountability. Independence is justified not merely by inconvenience, but by principle.
Building Better Systems
Texas’ independence wasn’t about isolation—it was about creating a political system that better protected rights and allowed Texans to flourish. Similarly, education independence isn’t anti-learning or anti-community; it’s about building alternative systems that better serve children and their families’ needs.
The Path Forward for Texas
Just as the Texans of 1836 forged a path forward by choosing independence, so too can we today. Independence is pursued to enable growth, stability, and long-term success—not chaos.
“The wisest decisions are made by those closest to the problem.”
—Retired U.S. Army General Stanley McChrystal
Education Independence asserts this same philosophy as it relates to families and their educational pursuits. Do not outsource your individual liberties and responsibilities. It is time for Texans, once again, to take up their yokes of education and self-governance, and to build better systems independent of government programs. The blessed promise of that choice is that independence enables growth, stability, and long-term success—not chaos.
Key Takeaways
Centralized government control—whether in 1835 Mexico or 2025 Texas—threatens local autonomy and individual rights.
Education independence is grounded in the same principles that justified Texas’s political independence.
Parents possess natural, God-given rights to direct their children’s education that exist above government authority.
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