CALL TO ACTION! STOP SB334!

SB334, this session's version of Voucher Expansion, was amended in the House and has returned to the senate for a vote to concur, vote down, or let it die. This session has proven interesting, to say the least.  Not only are votes looking more partisan when final votes are taken on Education measures, they also appear to be quite contentious between the GOP members of the House and Senate.  This could be positive for PUBLIC school advocates, as we were already able to STOP HB1004 and SB10 by speaking out, tweeting, emailing, calling, and posting concerns to our elected officials.  They have heard our outcry.  They know our displeasure.  They are aware of our concerns.  Now they must choose to ignore our voices during an election year or follow our urging and recognize our concerns by voting down any remaining bills destructive to PUBLIC education.  

This post asks you to once again contact your legislators, especially in the Senate, and urge them to VOTE NO on SB334.  It is time to shout out one more time to urge support for our PUBLIC schools by stopping destructive measures and financial fiasco.  SB334 (Voucher Expansion) once again straps the education budget to the favor of charter and private schools while draining our PUBLIC schools of much needed funds provided by Indiana's taxpayers.

Below is a graphic from Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education detailing the immense sums of money being doled out for the "Choice Scholarships". Expanding these scholarships will further siphon money from PUBLIC schools in the already tight education budget.

Another graphic from Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education shows the difference between voucher funded schools and our PUBLIC schools.  Taking funding from our PUBLIC schools does not seem fair when those schools receiving voucher money do not have to play by the same rules of providing for students.  If they are not expected to serve under the same requirements and standards, then they should not be receiving our PUBLIC tax dollars to fund their own agenda and pad the wallets of their corporate leaders.

Please take time to contact members of the Senate and ask them to stop draining our PUBLIC schools for corporate benefit and fund our PUBLIC schools without expanding vouchers and putting the money where it belongs.

Click here for twitter handles of legislators.

Call To Action: Call your legislator before Tuesday on SB 334

Call to Action! Call to Action! Call to Action!

The attack on public education continues with SB334 and our Hoosier kids need your help to STOP this elitist 'choice' bill in it's tracks!

Hoosier students need your help and it only takes a few minutes to make a difference.

What Can You Do?

1) Call the representatives on the House Education Committee - in addition to emailing your local representative and tell them that Hoosier kids deserve better! 

All Hoosier kids deserve a high-quality education, not just a 'choice' few that are granted a so-called 'scholarship'. Tell them this bill only serves the interest of a few while taking away much-needed resources from all Hoosier students. Who are the House Education Committee Members? click HERE. Need to find legislator's contact info? Click HERE. For the Senate, Click HERE.

2) Email the representatives on the House Education Committee - in addition to emailing your local representative and tell them that Hoosier kids deserve better!

All Hoosier kids deserve a high-quality education, not just a 'choice' few that are granted a so-called 'scholarship'. Tell them this bill only serves the interest of a few while taking away much-needed resources from all Hoosier students. Who are the House Education Committee Members? click HERE. Need to find legislator's contact info? Click HERE. For the Senate, Click HERE.

3) Encourage others you know to call or email TODAY! You know the saying "It takes a Whole Village to Raise a Child"? Well it takes every mom, dad, grandparent, teacher, bus driver, principal, superintendent, friend, family member, next door neighbor - EVERYONE working together to get our voices heard!

These legislators have the backing of a handful of VERY well-funded and influential PACs. And that is just not right! That is NOT that American Way, it never was supposed to be the American Way and it is up to us to ensure that Democracy rings true in the Hoosier State! Our Founding Fathers never intended for elections or policy to be bought and sold in the marketplace by a well-funded and self-serving minority: our kid's education isn't a Mocha-Frappacino, a TV, or the latest fashion craze. 

Democracy is the real deal! Public Education is the real deal! It is our duty and our obligation to hold these elected officials accountable for pandering to the interest of a select few!

The only way to make a difference is for all of us work together for positive change and if we share the truth about what these well-funded PACs are really trying to do to our Hoosier kids. Tell the truth about how they are trying to shift money around on paper to pay for the education of a small 'choice' few at the expense of the future of our Hoosier children.

Our kids are not commodities or widgets to be played with just to line one's own pocket book. They are kids - they are OUR kids - and all of them deserve to receive a high-quality public education.

What Can you Say?

Introduce yourself and where you are from. Give this script a try or make up your own:

"Hi. I am ________________ and I live in _____________, IN. I am calling in regards to the hearing on SB334 to let you know that I and other Hoosiers do not support this bill. I am calling to say that you should vote 'NO' to this bill and talk with other Representatives about why they should vote 'NO', too.

This bill is a 'BAD DEAL' for Hoosier kids! All this bill does is provide additional funds for a select few 'choice' kids through a so-called 'scholarship' program. In reality this bill only serves to give more money to people that already have plenty. We have GREAT public schools in Indiana and the future of our state is too important for this kind of ideological bill that only supports a false notion of economic and academic elitism.  ALL our Hoosier kids deserve a great education, the future of our state depends on it! Give this money to public schools so that ALL Hoosier children can benefit! Vote NO to SB 334".

Still Need More Info?

Click here for our "Letter Writing Made Simple" guide to contacting your representative. Or,

Click here for our "Simple Way to Call Your Legislators" guide to phone calls with your senator or representative.

Communicating with your Senator or Representative really is easy and makes a huge difference! It may seem scary at first, but our Hoosier kids are WORTH it!

Make Your Voice HEARD! Call or Email Today!