FROM KENTUCKY 120 UNITED
Charter school legislation passed the House by a super thin margin (51-46, 3 abstained).
It now goes to the Senate where it will fare better. It's not over yet, folks -- we need to apply pressure to the House and get a few representatives to change their vote over the veto period. We have just a few weeks to get this done.
Yes, we are saying there is a chance.
Please, call 1-800-372-7181 and ask your senator to vote no, and you can start asking your representative NOT to override the veto, which we expect from the governor should this bill become law.
Better yet, send them an email. Have a conversation at church or the grocery store. This is not a situation where we want to "wait and see what happens." The writing is clearly on the wall. There is plenty of data that proves charter schools do not work. There are lots of states that have taken this ride and now want off.
Think about this: why are we experimenting with something we already know is a failure, when research studies overwhelmingly show student success and achievement at charter schools is no better than public schools when at their best, and detrimental to student success at worst?
Why do we want to allow strangers from New York and California to come into our communities and decide what and how our children learn? How is that local control? Why are we giving these charter companies basically a blank check--as the fiscal impact charters will have on Kentucky is still unknown--but expected to be very, very high?
Why would we give public tax dollars to charters when the legislature continues to underfund public education? Why do we want to eliminate jobs from some of our counties’ largest employers?
Why do we want to wreck high school sports? KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett has already issued a statement saying how devastating charter schools will be to sports in the commonwealth.
Finally, why do some in the legislature think it's a good idea for companies to come in and get rich off of our public dollars? When we starve public schools of vital funding, we lose jobs. Property taxes will rise. Students will suffer.
Please contact your legislators today and every day until the legislature adjourns sine die and the final gavel falls on April 14.