Thoughts on SB140: Parent’s Choice Act
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In My Humble Opinion
Jodi McDade
Campaign season is now in full force with signs popping up all over and the televisions showing ads back to back on state and national candidates.
I’m not going to dwell on any of that other than to say it’s now time for you to ask hard, tough questions before deciding on who to vote for. You have until the morning of May 24 to make that decision so use all the time you need.
Some of the best news for Coosa County in a long time came out of the County Commission meeting this week. Our EMA director, Sheldon Hutcherson, has been working on bringing back our county Health Department that closed more than five years ago. He brought Tim Hatch with the Alabama Department of Public Health to explain the timeline for our Coosa County Health Department to reopen.
Two of our citizens, Dennis Hill and Leslie Hardy, have been working for more than a year to bring an animal shelter to Coosa County, and they are ALMOST there! They gave an update on their progress in the last month that includes leasing a location and setting up the basic organization. I’m sure Christa will cover both of these things in depth so I won’t go into further detail – except to say it’s now time for the CITIZENS of COOSA COUNTY TO SUPPORT THEM!
There a quite a few pieces of legislation that are moving in Montgomery right now. One of the most important to me is the Parent’s Choice bill, SB140. I might as well say right from the start that I am NOT against teachers, but that I AM more concerned for the children in our public school systems.
And, I am NOT speaking directly to the Coosa County School System, but to the situation of the ENTIRE state system in Alabama. We can no longer say “Thank goodness for Mississippi” because the overall rankings of Alabama schools have fallen drastically in the last 10 years. It was bad BEFORE COVID-19, but it is now in the gutter.
As a taxpayer who no longer has children in public schools (but I do have grandchildren), I resent paying taxes into a system that is so drastically failing in educating our children. We are graduating kids who cannot read or do math at even an eighth grade level. Then, they go to college (if they are lucky?) and have to take remedial classes before they can start their core classes.
We are spending approximately $6,500 per student to educate them, and I, along with many parents, do NOT think we are getting our money’s worth. The public school system has had well over 10 years (closer to 20+) to upgrade the results they are turning out, but the rankings have continued to drop.
A “School Choice” bill was passed several years ago that was supposed to provide more charter schools in Alabama, but that has not happened. Some students were able to move from one public school to another, but the qualifications did not help the majority of them who were stuck in failing schools. This bill will fund educational savings accounts that would allow parents to decide where and how their children are educated – public schools, private schools, or home schools. The tax dollars paid into the Education Trust Fund would follow each student rather than going first into the Alabama Department of Education to be appropriated as IT sees fit. This is how I would rather see MY taxes spent – how about you?
There will be changes to this bill, and a matching bill will come out of the House of Representatives. The majority of the people AGAINST this legislation are the teachers – active and retired, the other employees of the Department of Education, and big business. Teachers and other employees fear the loss of their jobs and retirement if children are allowed to flee their system and go to another one where they will receive a better education.
I understand that thought process. But, where have the teachers and other employees been in the last 10+ years as so many of us have fought against the national takeover of education that has drastically increased the regulations and reporting that is required in order for the states to get funding from the federal government? Parents pleaded with the teachers to stand up against Common Core when Bob Riley signed Alabama up for it. But the teachers and other employees believed the lies being told by the Alabama Education Association (THE UNION). Well, how has that worked out for you as you have to do more testing, less teaching, more reporting, less interaction? How are you enjoying the subjects and educational materials that the federal government requires you to use? Yes, I know, “We don’t teach that HERE!” Well, if not now, then it is coming.
I’m asking the parents who have now learned through COVID-19 what is being taught in the public schools to stand up and demand better for your children. I’m asking the people who have devoted their lives to being a “teacher” to put the CHILDREN FIRST again like you did on the first day you started work.
And, before any of you go into a tirade after reading this, please remember this column is about MY OPINION. I have a right to mine, and I understand you have a right to yours. There has to be some middle ground somewhere if we work together.
Until next week! God bless America!