Letters: Budget plan victimizes public schools, students

NEIFPE member Susie Berry wrote this letter about the school budget.

Letter to the editor: Education 'reform' is hurting our children

February 18, 2015 1:01 AM

Budget plan victimizes public schools, students

Voucher and charter schools have received more money from the state each school year since 2011. No wonder there was a School Choice Week celebration Jan. 27. The bad news is that as the private schools celebrate, the public schools must scramble to find money to transport their students to school. Gov. Mike Pence claims to be the “education governor,” but the increases he has proposed affect the private and charter schools very positively while – once again – the public schools are barely getting any increases.

The percentage increases – if Pence’s budget is approved – for “choice” schools (that includes charter schools and private schools accepting voucher money) is 13.1 percent, while the traditional public schools would see an increase of only 2.4 percent, which is really only 1.2 percent per year. Giving families a “choice” sounds great, but the traditional public schools and their students are the victims in this scenario.

SUSAN BERRY