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.
