Public funds should go to public schools

The governor and leaders of the state house and senate have introduced bills that allow public funds to be used for private schools. This discriminates against our most vulnerable children. Private schools do not have to accept or accommodate all students. Students who have learning disabilities, autism, physical or mental challenges or behavioral issues, our most at risk children, don’t have to be and in most cases aren’t accepted by private schools. Our public schools must deal with these special needs children while already underfunded and now with the added issue of funds being diverted to private schools. Public schools educate all our children and we all should support them in their effort. Other children in the schools that will be left out are those that don’t have the resources to pay the difference between the amount paid by the state to private schools and tuition charged by these schools. There is also discrimination for rural students who don’t have private options. For these reasons please contact your representative and tell them “public funds should go to public schools” so all our children get the best opportunity.

Jay Stolba

Cedar Rapids