School Choice Center for Culture Warfare for Kansas Legislators

TOPICA, Kansas (AP) — Leading Republican lawmakers in Kansas are focused on helping conservative parents withdraw their children from public schools because of what they are taught about gender and sexuality, rather than implementing a version of what critics are calling Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law. .

The proposal to allow parents to use state tax dollars to pay for private or home schooling was to be made available online on Tuesday, the day after the K-12 spending committee introduced the measure in the House of Representatives.

The introduction comes as funding and lesson plans for public schools have become a hot issue for conservative politicians across the country. Lawmakers in Iowa approved a similar law last week, and at least a dozen states are considering similar legislation.

Channeling public funds to private schools is not a new idea, but it has gained momentum since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in part because of parental concerns about masks and vaccines. The issue has also been caused by opposition to the way some schools teach classes on topics such as gender, sexuality and race.

Critics of the bills say they are siphoning much-needed money out of public schools.

When the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature opened its annual session earlier this month, GOP leaders planned to tackle what Senate President Ty Masterson called a “sexualized awakening agenda” in how public schools discuss sexuality and gender identity.

Masterson, a Wichita Republican, said he would like a measure that would clarify what schools can teach or discuss on these topics by class, similar to the Florida law passed last year.

But last week, when asked about such a measure, Masterson seemed to change direction: “We’re talking about choosing a school.” He told The Associated Press on Monday: “Probably the only way to end this is to give parents a choice.”

The House proposal is the brainchild of K-12 spending committee chair, Rep. Christy Williams, another Wichita Republican. She said she hoped to have a hearing next week.

The story goes on

Her bill would allow parents to apply for a state-sponsored education savings account for each of their children, with the state setting aside the current amount of its basic per-student assistance for public schools. This is $5,103 for the 2023-24 school year and will increase as government assistance increases. Parents will receive 95% and the state will use the rest to cover administrative costs.

Kansas already provides income tax relief for donations to scholarship funds to allow students at academic risk to attend private schools, a program Republican lawmakers want to expand. But in the US, conservative lawmakers argue that tax dollars should be tied to students, not “systems.”

Williams also called her plan “the perfect answer” for parents frustrated by public schools teaching about gender, sexuality, or the impact of racism on U.S. history. Currently, she says, parents can’t change schools if they can’t afford the extra costs.

“But with choice, it gives freedom to choose the best and most appropriate education, the best and most appropriate type of environment,” she said.

Public education groups and Democratic lawmakers argue that such proposals would take money away from K-12 public schools in favor of private and home schools. They reject Masterson’s characterization of public schools as “factories of a radical social program” and argue that GOP conservatives are trying to dismantle public education.

State Rep. Jarrod Owsley, a Kansas City Democrat whose wife serves on the local school board, said public schools help build communities.

“This is the foundation of our nation,” Owsley said.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly strongly opposes a plan like the one introduced in the House of Representatives. Her major education initiative includes a 61% phased increase over five years in spending on public K-12 programs for students with special needs.

Republicans have a legislative supermajority that would allow them to override Kelly’s veto, although GOP leaders have had difficulty keeping Republican unity on education issues.

Meanwhile, proponents of private and homeschooling argue that parents want more choice because they are unhappy with distance learning during the coronavirus pandemic.

Fallon Love, a Wichita resident who runs multi-state restaurant finance, enrolled her 7-year-old son in second grade at the City Preparatory Academy, run by Wichita’s non-denominational Christian Faith Center.

Love said she enjoys the academy’s “intimate” learning environment and feels her son is learning positive character traits while getting opportunities like going to the State House last week for a school pick rally.

“Many parents are not lucky enough to be able to decide where to put their children,” she said after the rally. “Everyone should have the right to decide where they want their child to go to get the best education.”

Wade Moore, one of the church’s bishops, told those gathered at the rally that the Iowa-like school choice law allows parents to avoid “crazy things” in public schools. After the rally, he said he was referring to both violence, such as fights, and issues such as toilets and changing rooms that transgender students can use.

“A lot of this is being imposed on children, families,” he said after the rally.

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