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Oppose bullying voucher bill

The House K-12 Education Budget could be working on the actual education budget. (The attorney general has suggested enactment of legislation by March 15.) Instead today they had a hearing on a bill to create a voucher for students who report bullying. While we agree bullying is a serious problem, we note this bill was an ALEC model bill and is promoted by school choice organizations, not anti-bullying organizations. We submitted written testimony. We particularly object to this bill being a voucher bill and allowing public funds to go to private schools. We note no finding of bullying...
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Bullying voucher bill in OK too

Oh, look, Oklahoma has a bullying voucher bill, too. The Kansas House K-12 Education Budget committee heard a bullying voucher bill last week. Why is such a bill up in 2 different state houses at the same time? Because it’s an ALEC bill being promoted by people who oppose funding public schools and support funneling money to private schools under whatever pretext they can. Game On has submitted testimony against the Kansas bill. We’ll be watching for committee action but it is being reported that Republican leadership is pushing this bill. Editorial of the Week on bullying voucher...
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Keeping courts a political issue

SB 22 is at best a political game and at worst a fiscal disaster we don’t need on the cusp of escaping the Brownback fiscal disaster. Tell your representatives to vote no on SB 22. It could come up for a vote in the next day or so.  “The slim chance of approving Medicaid expansion in the state will drop to zero. More ominously, the possibility of a compromise on school spending may also go up in smoke. “This would be a first-degree tragedy. “You’d think Republicans would want to avoid that. You would be wrong. Instead, it’s...
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Why delay school funding work

We have a guess as to the why-it’s to ratchet up the pressure and try to increase the likelihood they can insert some of their pet policies like vouchers like they did in 2014. This is not responsible legislating.  “But we’re left with the unnerving reality that lawmakers are waiting until the last minute to deal with the session’s biggest issue. Why delay? Why risk having the funding formula fall apart? Why dare the court to consider a statewide school shutdown come August if lawmakers fail?” Read more here: https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article226797959.html?fbclid=IwAR109SSvNkOShGXDptoCqUJnF3QTZ6-9syb2KmJHUWxyPisa736nNBrPIb0 Originally posted on Facebook 2/26/19...
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