Here is what everyone needs to understand about the Voucher bill that was passed by the Iowa Senate on Thursday and is heading to the House this week:
Republicans in Iowa and many states have been advocating for Vouchers for years. Betsy Devos elevated this campaign nationally, and ALEC created bills, now being pitched as “School Choice Legislation” are popping up in Republican controlled states across the country. The bill making its way through the Iowa legislator isn’t the effort of Iowa Senators, and it’s not Governor Reynold’s creative plan to help needy kids in Iowa like she wants everyone to believe. It’s an ALEC bill that was created as a steppingstone to larger Voucher programs that will completely reshape our state’s education system. It will damage our public schools, divert tax dollars to private schools, and it will widen existing inequalities. It will further segregate our communities by race and socioeconomic status. It will hurt Iowa’s Public Schools.