OKC’s Neu: ‘The Greatest Threat to OK Education Is The People Elected to Represent Oklahomans…’
OKC schools superintendent Rob Neu: Lawmakers showed courage in defeating ESA bill
BY ROB NEU
Pride fills my heart when I visit with our students in Oklahoma City Public Schools. For many students, walking through the schoolhouse door every day is a show of great courage. They persevere through greater challenges than many adults in our city will ever know.
What a great example our students are for Oklahoma lawmakers.
Legislators must display serious political courage to say they support public education and then follow the courage of their convictions. Nine members of the House of Representatives did so this week in voting against House Bill 2003 to create school vouchers. Even with a fancy name like education savings accounts, they’re still vouchers. Five representatives did so even though it put them at odds with party leadership; thank you Reps. Ed Cannady, Dennis Casey, Donnie Condit, Ann Coody, Katie Henke, Jeannie Mc-Daniel, Jadine Nollan, Shane Stone and Todd Thomsen for your political courage.
The defeat of HB 2003 is but one battle in a mistaken effort that could ultimately undermine and further underfund public education. No matter how well-meaning this bill and others like it are, they are misguided.
Vouchers — by any name — drain already limited resources from public schools, especially at a time of growing enrollment and tight budgets. Accountability is also an issue. Vouchers allow private schools and those who choose to homeschool using taxpayer dollars freedom from the myriad of accountability measures they require of traditional public schools.