Changes To Education Funding

Looking at the president’s budget plan, and specifically at education, I cannot understand why you would want to cut the Department of Education by $9 billion. Missouri is currently struggling with a shortfall in funding for education and I fail to see how cutting $9 billion in education is going to help Missouri. Additionally, the budget calls for $1.4 billion for school choice, i.e. charter schools, and $250 million for private schools, which would further decrease funding for public education.

To start with, I live in Pineville, Mo., and there are no charter schools in this corner of the state, which also holds true for the majority of the state. Another point I would like to make is that, if we are going to support charter schools, they should have the same mandates as public schools. They should accept all children regardless of physical, mental, language, or cultural barriers they may have to learning. These charter schools should also be subject to the same testing standards.

With regards to subsidizing private schools, and I believe it would be subsidizing, because that funding does not come anywhere near the actual tuition cost so we would be subsidizing the wealthiest among us. Parochial schools should not receive public funding because of separation of church and state.

To our senators and representatives in Washington: When this budget cut comes before you, vote “No.” Missouri is primarily a rural , agrarian state, so this cut in funding and reallocation of funds does nothing but hurt the people of Missouri. Stop this budget cut and reallocation of public education funds before it gets started.

James P. Gann Pineville, Mo.