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10 signatures reached
To: Knox County Commission
Knox County Commission - Pass the #FundOurSchools Resolution Opposing Vouchers!
We the people of Knox County are calling on our county commissioners to adopt the Fund Our Schools resolution calling for the end of voucher and privatization schemes that defund and divest from our public schools.
We believe that strong public schools are foundational for strong communities. Gov. Lee’s proposed voucher scheme would funnel millions of dollars into private school systems at the expense of our local public schools and communities. Gov. Lee and billionaire interests are pouring millions of dollars into getting vouchers passed, despite 70+ school boards passing resolutions last year opposing the Education Freedom Scholarship Act. We are calling on our local funding bodies to support our local school districts and to say NO to Gov. Lee’s voucher scam by passing a resolution opposing vouchers.
If our local leaders pass the Fund Our Schools Resolution, it will signal that the people of our school districts widely support fully-funded public schools and are willing to stand up to the privatization schemes that threaten them. If we all stand together, we can highlight the real funding needs of our district and stand up to the billionaire interests trying to dismantle our public schools.
Why is this important?
- There is no widespread demand for vouchers from Tennesseans. Vouchers have been opposed by over 70 school boards and other local funding bodies across the state, the state superintendents association, and countless parents and educators across Tennessee. In places where there has not been widespread opposition, there has also not been widespread demand. Ask if they've talked to their school boards, teachers and superintendents about the bill. What have they heard?
- Why should I pay entitlements to private schools that don't have to accept all students and aren't held accountable to the same standards as public schools? We are not against private schools but we don't think taxpayers should be running an entitlement program for for-profit schools that are not held to any clear standards and can pick and choose who they let in. The vast majority of beneficiaries would benefit families that can already afford to put their children in private schools.
- All signs point to ballooning costs. Knox County could lose out on $8.6M in the first year alone. The first year, the program would create a $144 million hole in Tennessee's budget in order to provide 20,000 private school subsidies the first year. If all 105,500 current private school students received the voucher, the subsidy to private schools would exceed $780 million. Universal Voucher plans in Arizona, Florida, and New Hampshire have gone tens of millions of dollars over budget and are draining much needed funding from their local schools and communities. Most of the voucher scam funding in other states is going to kids who already went to private school, making this voucher scam a giveaway for for-profit schools funded by our tax dollars. This leaves our public schools less resources to educate the same number of students.
- Public schools aren't failing our students. The State government refusing to fully and equitably resource our public schools are. 90% of parents send their kids to public schools nationwide and the majority of parents are pleased with their schools. Tennessee teachers and school staff are doing incredible work to educate our kids every day, but they are struggling with long hours, overwork, and low pay. Our schools are in desperate need of improved infrastructure, more support staff, increased teacher pay, mental health resources, and much more. Instead of spending millions to privatize our schools, imagine what we could do if we invested in every public school fully and equitably. Every child deserves an honest, equitable, safe, and fully-funded public education in the communities where they live and play.
How it will be delivered
We will deliver this petition at the December Knox County Commission meeting. Wear RED or your Public School Strong t-shirt to show support for fully funded schools in Knox County and beyond.
WHEN: December 16th at 5:00pm
WHERE: Large Assembly Room of City-County Building (400 Main St SW, Knoxville, TN 37902)
CONTACT: [email protected]