Northwest Iowa — Area residents who send their kids to private schools would benefit from a program that was pitched to Governor Terry Branstad last (Wednesday) evening. The proposed “voucher” program would have state tax dollars “follow the student” to a public OR private school.
Susan Fenton is a lobbyist for the Iowa Advocates for Choice in Education. She uses the phrase “Educational Savings Accounts”, or ESA’s rather than “vouchers” — but it’s the same concept. Parents would get state tax dollars and use that money to send their child to a public OR a private
school.
Fenton spoke in Governor Branstad’s office, during a public hearing on the state budget. She said she envisions school vouchers being used for expenses beyond school tuition, covering the costs of textbooks, tutoring and even fees for online courses. Audra Meyers of Clive, a former principal at Holy Trinity Catholic School in Des Moines, says it’s time for “robust education choice” in Iowa.
Meyers, who also taught in a public school in the past, has two young children who are currently enrolled in two different Catholic schools in the Des Moines area. Critics of school “vouchers” argue sending state tax dollars to private parochial schools is a violation of the separation of church and state. Governor Branstad and his wife sent their three children to Catholic schools in the Des Moines area. Branstad told reporters that he is a “strong supporter” of private schools, but the Governor says in a “tight budget’ year, there are “a lot of issues” to consider.
Others who testified at Wednesday night’s public hearing made appeals for increased state funding in a variety of areas — from remodeling Y-M-C-A facilities to assistance for brain-injured Iowans.
