Public School funding is endangered! A battle is raging in Missouri and nationwide between citizen tax payers, like you and I, who pay for and want to preserve high quality public education and the wealthy elite who, with corporate backing, want to receive public tax dollars to spend on private and religious schools of their choice.
The greatness of America and indeed of the once-great Missouri was forged from the finest education system in the world – the Public School system. It built the middle class, it fostered the American dream and made the United States the beacon of freedom that it is today. It was all made possible through dedicated taxes paid by average, hardworking, conscientious citizens.
But the idle rich and wealthy in our state and indeed in our country want to siphon off tax dollars to support their private schools. Diversion of funds from public school programs to private and religious schools and to homeschooling parents presents a pernicious threat to necessary funding levels for quality public schools.
In Missouri, bills to provide tax credits to Missouri families with school age children and to authorize charter schools statewide nearly passed. Governor Greitens, too, a strong proponent of private education is making a direct attempt to gain control over the personnel decisions of the State Board of Education, a constitutionally directed agency implemented to supervise the operations of Public School Districts without political interference.”
The West County Democrats’ FOCUS 2018 meeting on Wednesday, October 11 will begin at 6:00 p.m. at United Food & Commercial Workers, Local 655, 300 Weidman Road, Ballwin, MO 63011. Pizza, snacks, and beverages will be provided. The meeting will end at 8pm.
Public School proponents will present a program that will detail the importance of maintaining strong Public Schools for everyone:
- how vouchers, tax credits, and the Charter School movement are depriving the Public Schools of revenues
- what can be done to protect, preserve, and strengthen Missouri Public Schools.
Speakers Are:
- Peggy Cochran – lifetime educator and past Executive Director of the Missouri National Education Association
- Carl Peterson – St. Charles business man who served two terms on the Ferguson-Florissant School Board.
- Gary Sharpe – Public School teacher and administrator; Served in the Missouri House of Representatives and Chaired the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee; Past Director of the Missouri Council of School Administrators
Mark your calendars now and plan to attend this important meeting to learn how to Preserve Public Education for your children and grandchildren.
Submitted by Gary Sharpe & Mark Kumming, WCD Members