As of this morning, the House of Representatives is passing laws without debate, allowing no questions and no answers before voting on bills that affect the lives of Mississippians. Though members who are familiar with the bills may speak for or against a measure, many laws will likely be passed with legislators having little knowledge […]
House of Representatives an “Information Free Zone” Read More »
Thank you to all those who called and emailed Speaker Gunn and your representatives to insist that they do the work we elected them to do: carefully consider, vet, and debate all legislation, particularly bills that affect the quality of education provided our children. The Speaker and key legislators have been meeting since mid-morning, with
House and Senate Adjourn for Weekend Read More »
The very good news this evening is that most of the voucher bills are dead! HB 943, the voucher bill that passed the Education Committee, was also referred to the House Appropriations Committee, where Chairman Frierson allowed it to die on the calendar. Likewise, Senate Education Chairman Gray Tollison allowed the Senate voucher bill to
Good News on Deadline Day – Good Work! Read More »
Bills being pushed through the legislative process would, in effect, send local tax dollars – money that was raised to support your community schools – to schools in other districts, something that our state constitution prohibits. The bills allow students to cross school district lines to attend charter and public schools in other districts; both state
Bills Send Local Taxes to Other Districts Read More »
House Bill 47 would force the state to rate school districts using a faulty model – one that is likely to drive down school district ratings. The bill also adds another layer of bureaucracy (and grows state government) by duplicating, in the Office of the State Auditor, a significant portion of MDE’s accountability ratings process.
Vote No on HB 47, Any Bills that Add Bureaucracy and Rate Districts Using a Faulty Model Read More »
Your legislative leadership is trying to pull a fast one on you… Bills that would allow students to cross district lines to attend charter schools or traditional public schools in other districts use a shell game to send your local tax dollars – money that was raised to support your community schools – to schools
Stop the Attack on Public Schools! Read More »
The House Education Committee has passed House Bill 943, a voucher bill that would send your tax dollars to private, virtual, for-profit, and home schools to cover the cost of tuition and other expenses. The bill would provide some students, even some without disabilities, more funding than is allocated for each student attending public schools, and could cost
Voucher Bill Headed to House Floor Read More »
The House Education Committee has passed a bill that would allow charter schools to locate in any school district (including A, B, and C districts) without local board approval and would permit students to cross district lines to attend charter schools anywhere in the state, taking their local taxes with them. Ask your legislators to vote NO
Charter Schools in A, B, & C Districts, Calls Needed! Read More »
The very out-of-state voucher lobbyists that are peddling bills to funnel your child’s Mississippi public school dollars into private academies and for-profit schools just had a set-back in Tennessee. When they tried their tricks in the Volunteer State, Tennessee moms and dads weren’t having it – and their legislators listened. Now it’s our turn, Mississippi! The same lobbyists that funded
Big-Dollar Voucher Lobbyists in Mississipppi Read More »
This year, the education legislation being filed is unprecedented in its hostility toward public schools, despite a clear message from voters that they want public education to flourish. Below is a sampling of the troublesome bills that are online thus far.They include proposals to: decrease funding to public schools and create a tax-paid system of private, for-profit, and virtual schools
Vouchers, Less Funding, More Bureaucracy Pushed by 2016 Legislature Read More »
