Vouchers Drain More Money from Public Schools!

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

In the midst of $4.8 billion in proposed budget cuts to schools, today Assemblymembers Roger Niello, John Benoit, Rick Keene and Alan Nakanishi unveiled a devastating series of proposals that would further drain money from public schools and hurt our students, including a proposal for school vouchers. The group is also proposing tax credits for private and home schooling, which would further decimate funding for public schools in the middle of a budget crisis.

California already ranks 46th out of 50 states in per pupil spending. Short-sighted proposals like those released today only shortchange our students’ future by undermining our public schools. Recent news reports already show that other states are recruiting California’s teachers while they are receiving pink slips due to the budget shortfall.

With more than 20,000 layoff notices already sent to teachers, custodians, school bus drivers, principals and other school employees around the state, it is California’s students who suffer the consequences of budget cuts to our public schools. Every pink slip issued to an educator or school employee means fewer resources available to our students.

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