Candidates oppose private school vouchers

As candidates for the West Chester Area School Board, we believe public tax dollars should fund public schools. Last week, our opponents’ campaign signed onto a letter voicing their full support of a proposal to divert tax dollars to private school tuition vouchers. They signed the letter alongside those who have spent many years and many millions of dollars working to privatize public education, including Betsy DeVos, Grover Norquist, Jeffrey Yass’ Commonwealth Foundation, and ALEC. Their goal to privatize K-12 education is not right for Pennsylvania or Chester County.

We oppose this policy. It is a direct threat to our public education system, undermining its fundamental principles of equity and inclusivity with no accountability. Private and religious schools aren’t subject to the same federal laws that guarantee services to students with special needs as public schools are.

By diverting funds to private institutions through vouchers, we risk further exacerbating resource disparities and leaving behind the most vulnerable students in our community. There is no way to create a voucher system that does not take money away from public education here in Pennsylvania. Vouchers are a distraction. The focus must be on fixing our unconstitutional public school funding system.

It is clear that our opponents’ priorities lie elsewhere, prioritizing the interests of a select few and millionaire special interests over the well-being and future of all students in our public schools. We cannot afford to let this misguided approach prevail.