FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

News from For MI Kids, For Our Schools

August 10, 2022

Contact: Sam Inglot, 616-916-0574, sam@progressmichigan.org

Parents and Educators Urge Lawmakers to Reject DeVos Voucher Initiative  

Proposal would strip funding from public schools to benefit for-profit private schools

MICHIGAN – A coalition of parents and educators opposing Betsy DeVos’ new school voucher scheme released the following statement Wednesday in response to reports of voucher backers’ planned submission of petition signatures to the state Bureau of Elections:

“Betsy DeVos’ dangerous school voucher plan will guarantee less funding for local public schools across the state,” said Casandra Ulbrich, spokesperson for the For MI Kids, For Our Schools coalition opposing the voucher proposal. “Our local schools are struggling with an educator shortage and a lack of mental health resources for our kids. This voucher proposal will only make the situation worse by taking away hundreds of millions of dollars every year from our local schools and giving the funding to for-profit private schools that are unaccountable to taxpayers. This proposal is bad for Michigan students, parents and the future of our entire state.”

“DeVos and her allies have made it clear they do not plan to allow Michiganders to vote on their proposal,” said Ulbrich, who also serves as president of the State Board of Education. “Instead, they are trying to use a loophole that allows them to ram it through the Michigan Legislature without being subject to a gubernatorial veto.

“The For MI Kids, For Our Schools coalition of parents and educators will continue to educate the public about the negative impact of Betsy DeVos’ dangerous school voucher proposal, and we will be urging parents and families to contact their lawmakers and telling them to oppose this proposal,” Ulbrich said.

A recent analysis showed that DeVos’ voucher proposal could siphon more than $3 billion from public schools over a five-year period, while mostly benefiting only those already attending private schools.

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