VOTE NO ON SCHOOL VOUCHERS

Dear Tennessee Legislators and Governor Haslam,

We don’t want vouchers in Tennessee.  Our schools are already underfunded.  We cannot afford to take away dollars from any public school in order to give a few students the “choice” to attend another school.  Similar voucher bills have not produced positive results in any state in which they have been implemented. 

The cost of this bill is estimated at $221 million over the next five years, with  $71 million a year projected after that.  We are going to take $221 million dollars away from underfunded public schools to accomplish nothing?  Once the door is opened, there will be an expansion, and soon there will be seriously diminished funding, even here in Williamson County. 

Schools that accept vouchers, funds we taxpayers provide, do not have to provide transportation, do not have to accept students that don’t fit their entry criteria, do not have to participate in the testing required of public schools.  Private schools who accept public money can also raise tuition.  What happens to the schools who get students back because they cannot pay additional tuition?  What happens to our teachers when they have to continually catch up students who took public money elsewhere and return to public school?

This bill and this program will have negative consequences for the families who rely on public schools throughout our state.  Taxpayers will no doubt have to pick up the tab when private schools don’t perform and the cost of re-educating those students escalates. 

This is a bad idea, and the consequences could be disastrous for individual children, for schools, for districts, communities and our state.  Please VOTE NO.

Representatives from Williamson County testified that their constituents want vouchers.  We are letting you know that is not true.  NO VOUCHERS FOR TENNESSSEE.

Cindy Scearce