OPINION:
In a landmark achievement just a few weeks ago, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen signed the state’s first-ever school choice bill into law, designating Nebraska as the 49th school choice state in the country.
The measure, the Opportunity Scholarships Act, is a victory for Nebraska families who want to give their children an education that meets their individual needs.
Regrettably, the Nebraska State Education Association, the state teachers union, has resorted to playing dirty games again in its efforts to mislead families, with the intention of repealing this life-changing scholarship program.
The union is using old tactics and claiming that this newly enacted school choice program is harmful, alleging that it will divert millions of dollars to private schools and making unfounded claims that it will reduce public education funding.
Although supporters of the petition campaign claim to be about empowering voters, the lies they are sharing with them say otherwise.
The unions have already tried the same tactic unsuccessfully in Arizona to target vulnerable communities, but families there fought back, determined to secure access to these scholarships for their children — and won.
Thanks to their efforts, thousands of families have been able to access school choice in Arizona. Now, Nebraska parents and advocates face the same fight. Nebraska parents, activists and state legislators are continuing to fight back, just as they have been fighting for freedom in education for a long time.
This challenge is why they founded a coalition called Keep Kids First, with the primary objective of informing parents to “decline to sign” anything that comes from SOS Nebraska, a group that is backed by the teachers union.
It’s no surprise that special interests are fighting to maintain their monopoly control over education in one of the last holdout states, but voters deserve the truth about what is at stake and the impact of these programs. From many other states, we have the answer.
Opportunity Scholarships will prioritize students from families living at 100% poverty level, as well as those with “exceptional needs” who have experienced bullying, are in the foster system, are in military families, or have been denied option enrollment.
SOS Nebraska fails to recognize the profound positive impact this initiative can have on the lives of deserving students in the state and is instead spreading misinformation about the program.
In my capacity as an advocate for Hispanic students’ education across the nation, I have been working to eliminate educational disparities that plague my community.
While talking with my community, I hear daily how families and students need school options for various reasons, including safety, academic quality, disciplinary policies, class sizes, extracurricular activities and location.
They need options because their parents want a better future for their children, a privilege they themselves may not have had.
The story of Brandon Villanueva Sanchez is a story of success in Nebraska that shows the power of a good education.
Brandon graduated from high school with honors as class president and now attends the University of Nebraska, where he studies neuroscience with minors in chemistry and computer science.
He attended a nonpublic school thanks to a scholarship and his parents working multiple jobs. The Opportunity Scholarships Act would ensure more students have these chances.
Brandon said his father always wanted better for him and told him the only way to have a better life than he had was through education. Brandon’s dad had to sacrifice a lot of time with his family to be able to provide the promise of a better future to his son.
This story resonates with many families in my community who share the desire for equal access to educational opportunities.
Those who are fighting to deny these scholarships should think about students like Brandon. The voices and aspirations of students across Nebraska should serve as a reminder that equal access to quality education should be a fundamental right, regardless of the person’s financial circumstances.
Instead of being so narrow-minded, SOS Nebraska should take stories like Brandon’s to heart when asking parents to sign a petition that would take away access to these scholarships, which have the potential to significantly enhance the lives of so many students and foster brighter futures for so many.
• Valeria Gurr is a senior fellow at the American Federation for Children. She is a passionate advocate of educational choice, particularly for underserved families, and founded la Federacion Americana Para los Ninos. For more information, visit keepkidsfirstnebraska.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.