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#SaidNoSchoolEver campaign resonates with us

“There’s a new ad campaign that is sarcastic but funny and reflects something real: many public schools and teachers don’t nearly enough resources. “#SaidNoSchoolEver is being promoted by Hefty, the trash bag company, and the Havas Worldwide Chicago ad agency, with 30-second spots in which teachers say things such as: “I love spending my own money on supplies” “Cutting arts and music programs is worth the savings” “This map — from 1913. Almost all of the states are there.” “More funding for schools? Nah, we’re good.” “The campaign promotes Box Tops for Education, a program that raises money...
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Catholic schools getting funds from anonymous grantors in tax credit program

“In just a few months, a Catholic foundation has raised more than half a million dollars under a controversial new program to fund private school education for scores of low-income children in northeast Kansas, including Topeka and the Kansas City area. “The Catholic Education Foundation is the largest of five organizations that have stepped forward to join Kansas’ first foray into a national movement championed by some and scorned by others, the goal of which is to increase access to private schools… “Skeptics question the transparency and accountability of many of the schools on this market, and the...
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Do your legislators send their children to public, private or home school?

Game On team, as we have learned more about legislators and their views on public education, we have come to the conclusion that many legislators don’t choose public education for their families. They are absolutely entitled to make that choice, but we believe that is relevant to (though not completely determinative of) their views on the support public schools should receive. Our legislators make major decisions about public school funding and policy on a regular basis. We do not intend to use this information for anything other than a compilation of the types of schools legislators choose. We...
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Grassroots groups pushing back on ALEC agenda

“But, Chris Suellentrop, nephew of Rep. Gene Suellentrop, R-Wichita, may not know his uncle Gene is associated with a nonprofit group disguised as a lobbying organization called the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), which meets in secret with nonelected lobbyists, who write the bills that have created the mess we are in. Uncle Gene helps to get them passed in the Kansas Legislature. “Other tidbits about Chris’ uncle Gene should be shared as well. Rep. Suellentrop registered for the ALEC national meeting conducted last month in San Diego using taxpayer dollars. He made a pledge not to increase...
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