The Senate Education Committee this morning declined to consent to the appointment of former Senator Nancy Collins to the State Board of Education. A motion to table the nomination passed on a voice vote. Ms. Collins had been participating in meetings of the State Board since her appointment by Gov. Tate Reeves earlier this year (via a back-dated letter from his term as lieutenant governor). Without approval from the Senate, her appointment will be voided and a new nomination will be made by Lt. Gov. Hosemann.
As a state senator, Nancy Collins was a leading advocate for privatization of public education and the author of bills to divert taxpayer dollars to pay private school tuition (vouchers). While she supported accountability for public schools, she opposed vehemently any accountability measures for private voucher schools receiving public funds. Her unwillingness to hold private entities accountable for their use of taxpayer dollars is of particular concern given the recent embezzlement scandal involving DHS funds and Nancy New, a politically-connected recipient of millions in state and federal tax dollars and owner of several private schools that have received state voucher funds.
