School Choice is not for Montana's citizens
The Constitution of the State of Montana (Article X) provides a solid foundation to ensure public education for the citizens of the state.
The following is in the Constitution:
1. Equality of educational opportunity is guaranteed to each person of the state.
2. A basic system of free, quality public elementary and secondary schools will be provided.
3. The public school fund shall forever remain inviolate, guaranteed by the state against loss or diversion.
Public school money is for public education!
The 2013 Legislative Session is faced with the task of strengthening Montana’s educational system in order to provide the students of this state the free, quality public education as stated in the Constitution and in order to compete in the current and future job market.
Our elected legislators are obligated to make sure that public funds remain with our public schools to invest in teachers and to expand program offerings to meet the needs of the 21st century.
A state budget reflects the willingness of elected officials to support high quality public educational opportunities for each citizen.
Our elected legislators must realize that students are not commodities or numbers. They are people, each having their own unique learning style. Professional educators and trained leaders will lead the way to establish the appropriate curriculum, evaluations and data collection processes to strengthen Montana’s public education system in this 21st century.
There is no need for Montana to jump on the bandwagon of “school choice.”
Montana’s education system is productive, has accountability and is non-discriminatory. The flexibility, that is allowed, opens the door for our public schools to be creative and innovative with a variety of programs.
The “school choice” movement, as it is coming into Montana, will only weaken funding for the free, public quality education system we already have. Parents have choices for their children; however, public funds should never be used for private education. Private education systems can raise funds for their own revenue and scholarships.
That is the American way.
Research this movement and you will find out-stretched hands waiting for your tax dollars for their causes, using a variety of names…including The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice which has deep ties to ALEC and the Koch Brothers.
The underlying movement is to privatize public education.
There is a push to allow charter schools in Montana. They are inappropriately called public schools because they take public money; the structure and policies of each school are different.
It is not true every child who comes to the door of a charter school is accepted.
Often times, there is a lottery system for enrollment.
Imagine that you live next to your neighborhood school, now a charter school, and your child cannot attend it because he/she was not accepted and has to be bussed to another school.
Charter schools do not guarantee equity.
Data shows that only 17 percent of charter schools are successful. Test scores show that there is no real difference in achievement.
Stop the “School Choice” movement from siphoning off your tax money from our public schools.
JoLynn Yenne,
Bigfork