SPLC Action: Fund public education for Louisiana’s children, not unaccountable private vouchers

The Louisiana House today voted 85-1 to approve HB 446, which would give public school students a “reading voucher” for private uses. The following statement is by Victor Jones, senior supervising attorney for the SPLC Action Fund:

“It is important to advance the literacy skills of public school students through high-quality curricula and meaningful assessments of student progress. Unfortunately, the voucher created by House Bill 446 would divert funds from our under-resourced public schools to private companies, with no oversight of how the money is spent or whether students benefit. 

“The children of Louisiana deserve a quality public education. They deserve to be taught in public schools equipped with resources – like reading specialists and small class sizes – needed for all students to master reading and other subjects. If the Legislature wants to help Louisiana’s children succeed in the classroom, it should properly fund public education, not unaccountable private voucher programs.”