Statement

NEA Highlights Flaws in Administration's Proposed Plans to Provide Vouchers for Students Affected by Katrina 

Today, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings defended the White House’s plan to funnel millions of public hurricane relief dollars to private school vouchers.

Below is a statement by NEA President Reg Weaver.

WASHINGTON – "We applaud Secretary Spellings’ acknowledgment of the need for a flexible and reasonable approach to federal requirements imposed on schools affected by Hurricane Katrina, including the need for waivers. NEA looks forward to working closely with the administration on this and other plans to meet the needs of students and public school employees affected by Hurricane Katrina.
 
"We disagree, however, on the administration’s proposed plan to funnel millions of dollars of public money into private school vouchers. And we are disappointed that the administration would use the catastrophe of this natural disaster as an opportunity to surface and advance a public education agenda that is both controversial and objectionable.

"Secretary Spellings has herself said that this is a one-year relief package. Just this week, I visited schools in the Gulf Coast. They will continue to face myriad challenges that will extend well beyond a year. Some of those schools were severely damaged--some were completely destroyed; many won’t re-open for weeks, even months, and some will have to be rebuilt from the ground up. And then there are the schools that are enrolling the many thousands of students displaced by the storm. This proposed plan doesn’t do nearly enough to address their needs. These schools are facing larger class sizes, insufficient numbers of teachers and education support professionals, and the need to further stretch already scarce resources like textbooks, school supplies and other services, such as school lunches, health, sanitation and transportation. 

"In addition to education basics, such as educators, textbooks, supplies and services, students displaced by Hurricane Katrina will face the challenges of more complex issues. Many of these children have been separated from their families; they don’t know if their parents, siblings or loved ones are dead or alive—many have seen images of death and destruction that we can only imagine. Many are in the care of strangers. At this time, countless numbers are manifesting the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression.

"The administration’s proposed plan falls significantly short of what the states have requested. It does not do nearly enough to respond to the needs of those children whose lives have been ravaged by the hurricane, nor does it adequately address the needs of the schools that are receiving the thousands of displaced children.

"Quite simply, public schools have been enrolling and caring for displaced students on a daily basis, and public dollars should be invested in public schools.

"It is unfortunate that the administration has chosen to open the divisive, social policy debate around vouchers and advance a privatization agenda, at a time when the nation’s education system is facing unprecedented challenges. We need to focus attention on solutions that will provide immediate assistance to public schools whose doors are open to all students. There needs to be short-, mid- and long-term plans designed to address the needs of the affected children and educators while rebuilding their public schools.

"It is also important to note that there is already a 30-year-old requirement in federal law that provides private school students access to public school services. Why provide millions of dollars of public funds to private schools, when you can simply provide those additional funds to strengthen public schools in support of this longstanding provision?"

For More Information Contact:

Denise Cardinal, NEA Public Relations, (202) 822-7239

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.