MNEA says Senators’ proposal
hurts Missouri’s students

A Senate Joint Resolution barring court review of the education funding decisions made by the legislature is both ill-conceived and flawed, says Greg Jung, president of the Missouri National Education Association. “This proposal undermines the very foundation of our democratic form of government,” notes Jung, a fifth grade teacher. “The framers of our constitution created three equal branches of government—legislative, executive and judicial. We teach our students that each has an important role to play in determining public policy. Some of our Senators apparently never learned that lesson.”

“The Senate leadership appears to be desperate to avoid accountability for its actions,” adds the MNEA president. “Before they even debate a school funding measure, they seek to avoid accountability for it. If they are unwilling to accept the accountability that comes along with the responsibility of governing, they should resign from office and make room for those who will accept that responsibility.”

“The General Assembly should direct its energy to improving the equity and adequacy of school funding in Missouri, rather than challenging the very foundation of our democracy,” Jung notes. “That would better serve our students and schools, as well as our future.”

“Nothing is more important than the education of the children in the state of Missouri,” Jung adds. “This Senate resolution will hurt our kids.”

After years of legislative inaction, it took a court case to force the Missouri legislature to finally approve a new funding plan for Missouri schools in 1993. Now, a decade later, more than 200 school districts are again challenging Missouri’s education funding in court, which is forcing the legislature to address the issue this year.

The 32,000-member MNEA represents teachers, education support professionals, students studying to be teachers and persons retired from education in school districts and on college campuses throughout the state. It is the Missouri affiliate of the 2.7 million-member National Education Association, the largest organization of education employees in the nation.

For further information:
Carol K. Schmoock
573-634-3202

February 18, 2005