For Immediate Release
Contact: Mark Jones, Missouri NEA Communications, mark.jones@mnea.org
Statement from Missouri National Education President Phil Murray on the Missouri Senate’s vote to Expand Charter Schools and Vouchers in Missouri
Senate Bill 727 (SB 727) expands unaccountable charters and doubles down on vouchers that benefit the wealthy few, undermining the quality and accessibility of education for the 91% of students who attend local public schools.
Vouchers, sometimes referred to as education tax credits, divert critical resources away from students in neighborhood public schools in favor of wealthy families attending unaccountable private institutions with little oversight or accountability. This leaves middle-class public school students with less access to science equipment, modern technology, textbooks, and after-school programs.
While the legislation contains some positive provisions, it continues to move Missouri in the wrong direction, expanding unaccountable charter schools into more communities without consulting the local school board. Missouri’s three-decade history with charter schools has been tumultuous and littered with financial irregularities.
The MNEA believes in the importance of providing a high-quality education for all students, regardless of their background or circumstances. To achieve this goal, we must invest in and support our public schools, which have demonstrated their ability to serve all students effectively.
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The 32,000-member MNEA represents teachers, education support professionals, college faculty, retired teachers, and students studying to be teachers in school districts and on college campuses throughout the state. It is the Missouri affiliate of the three-million-member NEA.