As an editorial in today's Springfield News-Leader points out, vouchers by any other name smell rotten just the same:
Pay attention to how hard Missouri Republicans are working to convince taxpayers that this is not a school voucher bill and you can see the truth. This is clearly a school voucher bill. It would take up to $40 million out of state coffers in the form of tax credits and pass that money on to mostly private schools — many of them religious schools. How can Springfield Republican Bob Dixon, for instance — who campaigned as being against school vouchers — say with a straight face that this bill isn't a voucher bill?
The editorial advises to take a close look at who is supporting the bill, always a wise idea in Jefferson City or Washington:
Who's supporting this bill? Out-of-state groups such as All Children Matter, a public school privatization group; and the Missouri Catholic Conference, which stands to benefit most by the bill. The bill might as well be called the "Fund Urban Catholic Schools Act." The tax credit bill requires that 80 percent of the money donated by corporations or individuals seeking tax credits be given to private schools. If lawmakers in Jefferson City truly cared about improving public schools, there would be no such requirement.
It should be noted that the lengthy co-sponsor list for this bill includes four area representatives- Marilyn Ruestman, R-Joplin, Ed Emery, R-Lamar, Steve Hunter, R-Joplin, and Bryan Stevenson, R-Webb City.
4 comments:
Is it any wonder that a PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER would be opposed to ANY form of funds leaving the public schools? It amazes me that they think they are the ONLY people who can teach our children. Grow up Randy and all other public school officials/teachers! The public schools can never get enough money. The solution to our poor education in this country isn't to just keep throwing money at the problem, it is to find an alternative!
I don't understand the voucher system. Is it that the expensive private schools will get federal dollars for their choice of students? Like they can take the cream of the crop and leave the others for public school? Or is that they will take federal dollars for less fortunate children? I know that money is involved in some way, I just don't understand it well enough.
Bill fails overwhelmingly!
62 - 96.
Good thing too.
Anonymous 2, they were trying to rig the No Child Left Behind game. If you don't believe me, try enrolling a disabled child in one of their private schools. Its pretty much impossible. They simple aren't equipped, trained, or prepared to make the necessary adjustments and extra expenses to teach them.
Going back to watching Eve of Destruction on PBS's folk rock specials. It seems appropriate for some reason.
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