Gov. Abbott calls for school vouchers after teacher slammed to ground at El Paso school

Video of a fight at an El Paso middle school has gone viral, drawing concerns online and renewing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's argument for school vouchers in the state.

The fight occurred May 20 at Hurshel Antwine Middle School between what appears to be two students. When a teacher tries to intervene, video shows, one of the students grabs her and slams her to the ground before turning around and continuing to throw punches.

"This is America’s future," Collin Rugg, co-owner of conservative commentary site Trending Politics, wrote on X. "The teacher bravely inserted herself in the middle of the fight to break it up before the student threw her against the wall."

Principal Patricia Fernandez sent a message to parents after the fight notifying them of the altercation and calling it an "isolated incident," according to Rugg's post.

"The students involved are being addressed by administration and law enforcement, as appropriate. There was no threat to other students or the campus," Fernandez said, according to Rugg's post.

Gov. Abbott uses video to argue for school vouchers

Abbott reposted Rugg's post on his personal account, writing "EVERY parent deserves to be able to choose the school best for their child."

The governor's comments appear to relate to his school voucher proposal, which would use public money to pay for private school tuition. Abbott made a push last year to include the proposal in a comprehensive public education funding bill before 21 Texas House Republicans joined Democrats to nix the proposal over concerns it would deplete the funds and resources of public schools in the state.

The school voucher program has yet again gained support in the lead-up to the May 28 runoff election, with Abbott and his supporters releasing attack ads on Republican incumbents who voted against the measure. The incumbents have fired back, with some arguing Abbott's plan doesn't make "good fiscal sense."

Reporting from Statesman reporter Keri Heath contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Teacher slammed to ground by student in video at El Paso middle school