Alabama Legislature Rams Through School Choice/Flexibility Bill

al.com ^ | Feb 28-March 1,2013 | numerous al.com sources

[alancarp]

**Note to the moderators: this is a summary post for a number of stories on this same topic. All cited links below include full original titles. No single story/link was sufficient; trying to also prevent multiple posts.

Summary: An Alabama Legislative Conference Committee transformed an 8-page education reform bill into a 27-page "bombshell" bill that has now passed both Houses and awaits the Governor's signature. This new bill includes the following provisions:

1. Parents of children in "chronically failing" schools will be allowed to either (a) move into a different (non-failing) public school; or (b) take 80% of the school's funding associated with their child as a tax credit and apply that to enrollment in a private school. This is effectively a modified 'school voucher' program.

2. Tax credits will be allowed for businesses who support private school education.

The speed at which this occurred led to 'shouting' in the Alabama Senate yesterday (i.e., this is a Democrat nightmare scenario - Republicans doing what was done to them in times past). Juicy details in the links below:

School flex bill triples in size in conference committee, takes aim at 'failing schools'

Republicans in bombshell move push through bill giving tax credits for kids at 'failing' schools to go to private schools

School bill switcheroo: Read the school choice bill Republicans rammed through (full text)

Tracking the 2013 session: Republicans pull surprise, ram through school choice bill

From 'historic' to 'sleaziness': Reaction to the school choice bill and how it was approved

Gov. Bentley announces Alabama Accountability Act

Governor Bentley has indicated that he will sign the legislation next week.

[Carry_Okie]

Parents of children in "chronically failing" schools will be allowed to either (a) move into a different (non-failing) public school; or (b) take 80% of the school's funding associated with their child as a tax credit and apply that to enrollment in a private school. This is effectively a modified wimpy 'school voucher' program.

Guess who controls what constitutes a "failing school"? They will get the same amount of screaming and lawsuits they would have otherwise endured.

There is no political benefit to compromise with evil. If you are going to fix education, fix it all the way.

[BO Stinkss]

“Governor Bentley has indicated that he will sign the legislation next week.”

Don’t want Governor. SIGN IT NOW!

[ken5050]

Many thanks for the updates, and all the links. Nice to see the GOP thinking "damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead."

A few questions, if I may, which I didn't see addressed in the articles:

1. Are many, if not a majority of Democrat state legislators black?

2. Are many of the failing schools in the state primarily black in enrollment?

This forces the Dems to directly decide what's more important to them: their own children, or their union constituents.

[concerned about politics]

It would be excellent if this move went national like the right to work movement. Thousands of children could be saved from a life of failure. The teachers union would no longer be able to destroy their lives in order to manufacture more democrat voters.
The lucky children would have a chance, finally, to grow up a success.

[alancarp]

I personally would advocate Classical Conversations as my own solution, since I believe the ALL public schools are failing schools. Yes, I'd burn them all down and start over, but that's clearly not going to happen.

However, I also reject the notion that this is a compromise: in the political world, there is no scenario in which a Democrat would ever 'compromise' with a school voucher program of any kind. No, I believe this is step 1 of a bigger plan... and clearly both an improvement and a big deal.

[BO Stinkss]

“Rep. Mary Moore, D-Birmingham, as she was leaving the House chamber threw her hands over her head and shouted, “Welcome to the new confederacy where a bunch of white men are now going to take over black schools.”

Paging revs. Sharpton and Jackson - You are now needed in Montgomery for a race baiting rally.

[ClearCase_guy]

Allowing parents to make choices that they feel will benefit their own children == white people taking over black schools

[fwdude]

Let the Libturd DemoCommunists shout. Then shout louder than them, and then sign the bill.

[Carry_Okie]

Yes, I'd burn them all down and start over, but that's clearly not going to happen.

There is an easier and more fundamental way to fix this.

No, I believe this is step 1 of a bigger plan... and clearly both an improvement and a big deal.

I have never seen incrementalism really work with the exception of State CCW laws, which are in fact gun-owner registration, thus compromising the benefits significantly. I am not discounting the effort to which the legislature went, yet it will produce little to show the positive results with which to take that "next step." It is thus a dangerous tactic compared to (for example) accrediting private testing with a validated warranty system as equivalent to public education credentials.

[alancarp]

Answers: 1. Are many, if not a majority of Democrat state legislators black? From this photo ('Senate Dem caucus'), it appears so:

Balance of power in the Senate is now 22 Republicans; 11 Dems., 1 vacancy, 1 alleged "independent".

2. Are many of the failing schools in the state primarily black in enrollment? That seems to be the belief, though I have yet to see a formal list. One of the legislators was quoted as saying that this bill could be a "life-changing event" for many kids.

Frankly? I think the "will" to improve still has to be with the parent(s), and unless that's pursued, then nothing will change. But now you cannot say that the opportunity isn't available.

Additional point: I do not know (yet) if transportation support has been included in the bill. Clearly, it is expensive to take your kids to school these days - especially one out of your own area. I don't believe this is the responsibility of the government to fund that, but I'm pretty sure it will be cited as a "barrier" to this legislation's implementation.

We'll see: as I say, a good first step. Should at least put some pressure on schools to improve.

[fwdude]

There is no political benefit to compromise with evil. If you are going to fix education, fix it all the way.

Agreed. But sometimes you have to move incrementally, like the Leftists do.

Of course, we claim victory but never keep moving, so this strategy is toast for conservatives.

[alancarp]

Oh yeah - you said: " This forces the Dems to directly decide what's more important to them: their own children, or their union constituents. "

That choice to sell their souls to the unions occurred long ago. And everything - yes, literally everything up to and including casino gaming 'rights' - that is wrong with their lives is blamed on a civil rights struggle that is still being fought.

[concerned about politics]

We'll see: as I say, a good first step. Should at least put some pressure on schools to improve.

They're unionized. Schools can't improve without hurting the teachers union. The more social failures they can create, the more democrat voters they create. If the children were to learn academics, ethics, or morality, they'd grow up to vote right wing. The teachers wouldn't get any more free handouts from the democrat politicians if the right wing was in charge all the time.
It's a "You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours" thing. The children in the government schools are future democrats and dollar signs. Dependent democrats are being cranked out like pieces of meat on an assembly line. If they were to grow up successful, it would ruin everything.

[manc]

she said that!!!
This is not all the community before someone jumps up and cries the left wing crap of racist

It’s blacks who fail in public schools, it;s black teachers who do not do their job, it;s black views that you do not work hard at school and it;s whites which are on the right who are trying to say to blacks, you can help yourself if you want to get ahead and we will set up the steps which you must take.

It;s these black leaders which keep lacks down and they do keep them down because so long as most blacks think white is evil, they are dumbed down and kept stupid and the right are satan then the left can keep getting votes and controlling segments of a population.

[TennTuxedo]

The Left is going for broke and is all in on the installation of Common Core into the school systems around the nation.

Anyone with children needs to google “Common Core” and learn how our nation’s children are being indoctrinated to leftist ideals at a pace that is astounding.

[ken5050]

Thanks for the information. If you post more on this as it unfolds, kindly ping me. Than ks

[Lancey Howard]

Nice job with this.
BUMP

[itssme]

AMEN! You've explained it all. Now, black folks, time to sh*t or get off the pot...you've got your opportunities, now apply yourselves, educate yourselves, and stop with the sob stories that “the white man keep me down.”

AND, while you're at it, educate yourself about who and what obozo really is. Stop slobbering over a black man who ran for President and turned out to be a socialist, hell bent on destroying YOU and me and this country. He was not the great black hope you wished for, so except it. Stop enslaving yourselves to the demands of the Socialist-Democratic Party (the actual new name of the old Democratic Party, which is dead.) Work toward searching for and supporting a candidate who is actually a Conservative they claim to be...check out their record. Allen West is but one excellent example of accomplishment and a strong moral foundation. This man believes in the Constitution, our freedom, liberty, RIGHTS.

Black folks have been stuck on stupid for toooooo long. Shake the shackles and do the right thing for yourself, your family and for your country.

[alancarp]

More articles are continuing to pour in about this new law (in the future, I'll just say "go to al.com" as it is literally going to be impossible to keep up with this. But rest-assured, the Left is now at work giving their opinions - exactly as they would have done had this not been forced through as it was:

Inside Alabama's problematic plan to let students flee "failing schools" (Challen Stephens) Inside Alabama's problematic plan to let students flee "failing schools" (Challen Stephens)

Alabama Accountability Act FAQ, a guide to the most radical education reform in decades Alabama Accountability Act FAQ, a guide to the most radical education reform in decades

What they are saying about the controversial education bill What they are saying about the controversial education bill

Montgomery bigwigs give Alabama the Full Monty (John Archibald)

How Alabama compares with other [16] states offering tax credits for school choice

Private school tuition in Alabama: a sampling of dollar amounts from across the state

At 2pm (CST) - 13 minutes from this post - al.com is supposed to have a live chat about this bill with (liberal) Matt Murphy. Check there if you wish - their link currently doesn't go to a chat page.