Teacher Talk with Teresa Kendall

The word is out.  As the local schools are trying to sort out the difficult job of bringing hundreds of kids back to school during a Pandemic that is still not under control, our Governor has been considering cuts in the Education budget for 2021.  Budget cuts.  Really?  

Now is not the time to make any cut in Education funding for our Public Schools, and in fact we should be exploring ways to increase that budget.  The simplest way to accomplish more funds for Public Schools is to suspend payments to Private Schools through vouchers as well as funding Charter Schools.  Both of these school systems divert about $200 million from local schools causing large class sizes, cuts in programs and the never ending referendums to raise funds the state should be giving to schools in the first place.

As the Democrat Candidate for House District 63, I am calling on all current House members, including my opponent to take a firm stand against any reduction in state funds to Public Schools.  Even further, the State must stop funding the private school vouchers and charter schools, which would allow hundreds of millions to be used for the Public schools.  Our Public School teachers already receive some of the lowest pay in the nation and combined with budget cuts such as the last session that will mean every school corporation in Daviess, Dubois, Martin and Pike counties will recieve at least 2% less than previous years, our local schools could be looking at bigger class sizes,  as well as loss of programs like art, music and libraries.

We can solve this budget problem that is looming on the horizon by eliminating the private school vouchers and payments to useless charter schools.  If our current District 63 State Representative will not stand up for our public school and protect their funds, then it is time for him to be replaced.  Elect me as your State Representative and I will take a stand against the special interests and political leaders that are trying to defund our public schools.

Our children, their families and our Teachers do not deserve the continual cuts in Education at their own expense. We must protect our school funds for their future and the future of our communities.

Now is the time to stand up and say "No more education budget cuts."