Protect Public Education!

As your constituent, I urge you to REJECT the nationwide school voucher program proposal currently in the Senate's reconciliation package. Among other inhumane provisions, I am alarmed by the inclusion of a national school voucher proposal in the Senate's bill. This proposal is dangerously unprecedented in (1) the disastrous impact it would have on secular public education in America, and (2) the bizarre new tax policy it would establish. The proposal would create a 100% tax credit, rather than a standard tax deduction, on funds or stock (including capital gains) donated to voucher schemes, creating a non-profit hierarchy with private schools at the top and a tax shelter for the wealthy who act fast enough to take advantage of it. A nationwide mechanism to privatize education and redirect billions of dollars away from public education would do egregious harm to the millions of families that depend on public schools - creating not "choice in education", but poor education and a system of legalized discrimination. Constituents understand the difference; voucher programs are unpopular when put on the ballot. As your constituent, I urgently need you to do everything in your power to protect young people's rights to a secular public education and REJECT any school voucher program in the reconciliation bill.