Republican Representative Don Hineman has a great newsletter explaining several of the issues in Kansas public education funding right now. Please read it and share with your friends.

Some legislators see an opportunity to implement policy reforms that involve diverting public funds toward private schools or home schooling. In fact, the first step in that direction was taken with the education appropriation bill last spring. It included provision for state subsidies of corporate scholarships for private education… a significant use of public funds in Kansas for the benefit of private education. That provision was one of the primary reasons that I voted no on the bill.

But here is the thing: public education does not exist for the benefit of students or for the benefit of their parents. It exists for the benefit of the social order. Public schools were established in America to insure that future generations of citizens have an appreciation for democratic values, understand our common American heritage, and have the skills to be productive members of society. It isn’t necessary for one to be a student or the parent of a student to benefit from public education. Each of us benefits each and every day by the existence of a well-educated populace.

http://www.hinemanforkansas.org/newsletters/newsletter-2015-01-11.html