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The short explanation of this alert was:

Two pieces of legislation, including SB 795 by Sen. Ann Duplessis (D-New Orleans) and HB 1347 by Rep. Austin Badon (D-New Orleans) have been filed that would use public education funds to pay the tuition of students in private and religious schools. LFT considers each of these as voucher bills, and urges their defeat. Money for our public schools is too scarce to divert into private educations for a few students.

These bills would spend $10 million on vouchers in New Orleans at the same time that lawmakers propose to cut education funding in the rest of the state by $38 million. Preschool programs, alternative schools, instructional support initiatives and other programs will be cut. How can that be justified?

For decades, LFT and other public school advocates have been able to defeat voucher legislation. According to public opinion surveys, people would rather see education funds spent on public schools. They understand that private and religious schools would be able to “cherry pick” the best students, leaving the rest behind in public schools that would be increasingly marginalized. That is true even though these bills claim to offer fair opportunities for all students.

Please click the link and ask members of the Senate Education Committee to vote against this voucher scheme.



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