As soon as I received Larry Marchant's email (
Chief
lobbyist for
SCRG
Lobbyists) on 12/29/2005, I felt compelled to respond with the facts not
spoken by SCRG.
I find SCRG's attacks on anyone that opposes the school choice plan ironic
and disingenuous. As a Director for one of many South Carolina SC ST SEC
59-65-47 Home School Associations, which is one of many educational options
to families across South Carolina, I believe I'm uniquely qualified to
address SCRG's ulterior motive viewpoint.
I do not argue that the public school system is not accountable. However,
the school choice system is not limited, as SCRG would like people to
believe.
The public school system, which is funded by and operates under State and
Federal funds, must operate without flexibility due to said restraints,
because they receive and operate on said "public money". The
real irony here is that SCRG is asking religious, private, and home schools,
which operate 100% free from any "public" money, to accept said
"tax credits, while the SGO's receive the Federal Tax dollars through
vouchers. The end result is: FEDERAL and State Government stripping
our 100% private funded educational options. SCRG knows fully well
that this Bill will beyond a shadow of a doubt allow Government to dictate
what we can and can not teach in our PRIVATE SCHOOLS. Once you accept
ANY form of public funds, you loose your right to educate your child, free
from government dictatorship.
Parents already have the ability to obtain a different, perhaps better,
education for their children in South Carolina. SC ST SEC 59-65-47
allows parents to home school their children 100% free from any "Public
School" and Government dictatorship. Why? because we do not
accept any form of State or Federal funds in any form!
We do not need to ask anyone for permission to change our student
curriculum. If something is not working, we can find another
method/curriculum resource, which meets our children's educational need.
Hence, the real way to obtain fulfillment of "No Child Left
Behind"!
SGO stands for Scholarship Granting Organization. These organizations
are usually Non-Profit. Therefore, charitable organizations should not
be using my tax dollars to give to whom they choose, which further allows
the SGO to discriminate. We have broken down the PPIC Bill into plain
English (see:
https://nbhsa.tripod.com/ppic.html),
which proves the real money scam of this Bill. What is not
so shocking is: Major lobbyists for this Bill also lobby for PHILIP MORRIS
USA, INC. (Tobacco Company?) & SUN CRUZ CASINO. See:
https://nbhsa.tripod.com/documents.htm#
SCRG Lobbyists What is shocking is: SCRG representatives have used religion
to argue and promote this disingenuous Bill.
We already have REAL School Choice in South Carolina, free of Government and
bureaucratic interference. (Could this be the real reason why SCRG wants the
PPIC Bill passed?) Hmmmm. Get home schools, private schools, and
religious schools to accept any form of Government funds, so government can
dictate our schools, just as they dictate public schools, thereby stripping
us of our educational freedom. REMEMBER THE WORD PROMULGATE IN THIS BILL!
Once the parent is DE-PROGRAMMED of the government brainwashed educational
mentality, the parent can home school their child for little cost, and
obtain exceptional educational achievement for their child.
Let's face the facts. If there were no monetary gain in it for SCRG,
and all the SGO beneficiaries of this Bill, SCRG would pack up and move on
to the next state to fall victim! If SCRG really cares about our kids
education, take the monetary gain out of the bill, and make this bill about
auditing (A REAL AUDIT) of all the Federal and State funds, which every
public school has received in the past 7 years! See:
http://home.sc.rr.com/nbhsa/school_district_funds_received47.htm
Problem solved.
Parents should look into home schooling. 3rd option home school law
allows the parent to work and home school. Teach day or night,
No government official interference. (Unless of course the local school
district or DSS office finds out your child has a disability or has been
educated in the public school system for the majority of their life, and
years behind in their education.) This is where the schools loose tons of
money. See:
http://home.sc.rr.com/nbhsa/school_district_funds_received47.htm
In this case, hire an attorney before you start home schooling to keep
officials from harassing you needlessly. ( We are currently awaiting the
answer to the following question: If the District obtains an IEP for any 2nd
or 3rd option home school student, but does not provide ANY service to said
student, how do we know if the District has used the IEP to obtain any funds
under IDEA, which they are not entitled to in this instance?) It is our
understanding that Districts use the IEP to obtain said funding.
However, we have not received any explanation about proving they are
providing any services along with the IEP, for the funds received. We
have been advised by many families in the public system that they have IEP's
for their children, but the districts are not providing them any services.
So I ask, "What are they doing with this money, and was any of it
obtained on IEP's without services rendered?"
The bottom line is, if there were no money to gain from this Bill, SCRG
would be doing nothing about any child's education. Now that is the
real sad truth!
Shall we discuss the SCRG meeting that CHASE SC Director and NBHSA SC
Director had with SCRG rep.'s from SC and of all places, FLORIDA?
One last note: Larry Marchant, how much do you get paid to lobby for SCRG?
How much $ do the employee's/SCRG board members make? How much $ do the
SGO's and SCRG stand to gain from this Bill?
We have done our home work too. We have learned how easy it will be to
LEGALLY bankrupt the State of South Carolina public educational system
within 2 years, if not 1, should this Bill pass. It doesn't take a
rocket scientist to decipher the Bill language into the business plan
portfolio that it is designed to look like on paper, once deciphered.
On the bright side, G_d did say, "The root of all evil is money."
I said, "Money is made by man. It isn't going to the grave
with you. However, throwing good money from 1 bad pot
into
a bad kettle , isn't my idea of responsible spending of my tax dollars
either!"
A salesman job is to sell the product. Excuse me if I choose not to
buy the snake oil being marketed under this very deceitfully worded bill.
As a side note: January 05, 2006 - Florida's Supreme Court has struck down
the state's school voucher system. It violates the state's Constitution.
Click
here for more...
p.s. This Bill does violate our State Constitution. See:
South Carolina State Constitution - ARTICLE XI. - PUBLIC EDUCATION
No money shall be paid from public funds nor shall the credit of the State
or any of its political subdivisions be used for the direct benefit of any
religious or other private educational institution.
A) Direct aid to religious or other private educational institutions
prohibited. All voucher money will come "directly from the "Public
School" allotted funds, correct?
B) No money shall be paid from public funds All voucher money is a form of
"public funds", correct?
C) nor shall the credit of the State or any of its political subdivisions be
used for the direct benefit of any religious or other private educational
institution. Oversight - The State Department of Revenue may issue
regulations to aid in the performance of its duties under the act. This
violates the second part of this as well, correct?
Ann
Director NBHSA SC
South Carolina Put
Parents In Charge Act - a.k.a. PPIC Bill #
