When we let vouchers drain our schools, it hurts us all.
The media coverage of the universal private school voucher plan has exposed the inherent problems in the program.
In the past months, we have learned…
voucher spending may exceed $1 billion this year…
the vast majority of the 91,000 plus voucher recipients are wealthy families whose children are already enrolled in private schools…
private schools have pressured parents into applying for vouchers, sometimes against their will…
while raising tuition to maximize revenues from tax dollars and families.
State Sen. President Matt Huffman’s hometown newspaper, the Lima News, has also written extensively about the harmful impact of vouchers on public schools in northwest Ohio so it’s hard to believe Huffman, the voucher expansion’s biggest cheerleader, doesn’t know what is going on.
In a recent Lima News story, the newspapers explained that 585 students used vouchers this year, a 350 percent increase compared to 130 last year while Delphos Schools gained 21 students over the previous year. Read the story here.
Another school district in Huffman’s area, Ottawa-Glandorf, saw the number of students taking vouchers rise from 30 last year to 251 this year.
The newspaper points out millionaires are eligible for $650 for K-8 child and $950 for each high school child enrolled in a private school.
Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic School in Ottawa has “encouraged” parents to apply for the scholarship, according to the Lima News.
“Who can’t use an extra $600 in their pocket,” Connie Niese, Sts. Peter and Paul’s principle told the newspaper. “Maybe you can have an extra vacation or maybe you can use it to purchase something that you’ve been looking forward to or making some improvements on your house.”
Yes, she said it.
Is your district part of our lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of private school vouchers? Check here.
If not, why not? Learn how to join here..
Vouchers go on trial in November.