Georgia Lawmakers Reject Vouchers Even as Tennessee Looks to Expand Them
Georgia Lawmakers Reject Vouchers Even as Tennessee Looks to Expand Them
Rural Republican lawmakers kill voucher expansion scheme
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Tennessee lawmakers are slated to take up a measure that would expand school vouchers to both Chattanooga and Knoxville this week. A bill that expands the state’s fledgling voucher program to Chattanooga has already passed the state Senate.
Now, though, an amendment to that bill has been filed by Mark White of Memphis - with the support of Knox County’s GOP delegation - that would include Knox County in the voucher expansion plan.
As lawmakers have discussed and (so far) deferred this bill, the lesson is clear: Tennessee’s GOP leadership wants a statewide voucher program.
This is, after all, what Gov. Bill Lee campaigned on back in 2018.
First, it will be the state’s four largest districts, then it will be the expansion of vouchers across the state.
Combine that with a plan to rapidly accelerate the growth of charter schools independent of any local accountability and you’ve got a recipe for fiscal (and educational) disaster.
So, it’s encouraging to see Republicans in a Southeastern state say NO to vouchers. Which is what just happened in Georgia.
The legislature there just rejected a voucher expansion plan - with most Democrats and a handful of rural Republicans voting no.
Why would rural lawmakers oppose vouchers? Because local taxpayers don’t want to be stuck with the fiscal impact of supporting TWO school systems.
And that’s exactly what happens when public money supports private schools by way of vouchers - or even charter schools.
Other states are also demonstrating what it looks like when policymakers stand up for public schools:
First, advocacy group Save Our Schools Arizona is highlighting the work of newly-elected Gov. Katie Hobbs.
In her State of the State address on Monday, Gov. Katie Hobbs outlined an incredible list of priorities for public education. On Friday, she released a budget proposal that reimagines what Arizona’s K-12 schools can and should be. Hobbs’ bold budget calls not just for increased investment in public schools, but also for a full repeal of the universal ESA voucher fiasco which is threatening to bankrupt our state. Public education is her stated top issue, and justifiably — it’s well past time for Arizona to focus on these issues.
And, there’s Andy Beshear in Kentucky - boldly taking a stand against a GOP supermajority determined to impose charter schools on the Bluegrass State:
Back in January, Beshear said:
I'm against charter schools.
They are wrong for our commonwealth. They take taxpayer dollars away from the already underfunded public schools in the commonwealth, and our taxpayer dollars should not be redirected to for-profit entities that run charter schools.
Here we sit in Tennessee with a Governor and lawmakers on the verge of handing our schools over to private interests - interests that would profit at the expense of both taxpayers and the students their “schools” purport to serve.
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As a GA citizen who has spent the past few years intertwining myself in the day-to-day of public education - I can tell you why this bill failed (or at least my educated opinion :) )
1-word: MESSAGING
People legitimately think there public school will be permanently financially scarred if the bill passes. Well ...........why is this? Because that was the EXACT MESSAGE of the only effective messaging to make it to the masses!
Am I saying the average citizen is dumb? NO, they’re (including me on certain other subjects) just gloriously uninformed of actual facts.
Now, is the average elected official (ga and nationally) dumb? YES! Please note that I speak on this from a position of 1st person authority. Many are shells of human beings - who cannot tell you a thought without first reading it as a talking point.
PLEASE NOTE: I’m referring to both sides of the aisle with my comment. I can’t count the number of times that I’ve briefed significantly important people after they’ve flown around the world - only to observe them looking like a kindergartener auditing a college physics class (I.e., sure they’re making eye contact - but if I ask for a response 1-layer beneath the talking points - I’m liable to hear Bidenesque gibberish fall from their mouth).
REPUBLICANS and INDEPENDENTS NEED TO WAKE UP. --- STOP BEING SCARED TO TALK ABOUT THESE SUBJECTS PUBLICLY!
LASTLY, START INFORMING THOSE AROUND YOU of the nearly limitless array of positive outcomes that vouchers make possible. Sure, your local school system may have to get rid of unimportant positions / in order to tighten their belts! PERHAPS, start with all DIE and SEL programs and officials!!! ...and yes, I used the acronym DIE - for diversity, inclusion, and equity -----that arrangement of acronym more closely aligns with their goals for nation.
That is all ...for now
Hi Andy. Happy I stumbled upon your substack. Any chance I could email you about something I’m working on? Would love your advice. Thanks! - Matt