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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 21, 2002

News Release

NEA Questions Subsidy to Voucher Lobbying Organization

Grant Conflicts with Intent of ESEA

Washington, D.C. - Reg Weaver, president of the National Education Association, questioned the federal government's intent in providing a $600,000 federal grant to a national organization that promotes publicly funded private school vouchers.

The U.S. Department of Education recently announced a partnership with the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO). BAEO is known primarily as a group organized to support and advocate for vouchers.

According to an article in the Philadelphia Daily News, Eugene Hickok, the undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Education, says the money will be used to help parents in four cities learn about education options - including private and parochial schools.

Weaver pointed out that the stated goal of the newly enacted Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was to improve public schools, not to fund or support the advocacy of private school tuition vouchers.

"Vouchers were rejected as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act," Weaver said. "Does this grant signal the Department of Education's desire to rewrite or reinterpret the Act? What accountability is built into this grant to ensure BAEO will not use federal money to promote private school vouchers?"

"A more worthy use for this $600,000 grant, and the hundreds of thousands more that are used to undermine America's public schools, would be to put these dollars into the public schools. Adequately fund and invest in our schools to ensure that environments are safe and conducive to learning, with highly qualified teachers, paraprofessionals, education support professionals, and manageable class sizes, state-of-the-art technology, and professional development." Weaver said. "Research has proven these to be characteristics of quality schools, and they are supported by our communities - parents and educators."

Weaver concluded by saying, "If the intent is to truly leave no child behind, we should focus support and funding on making every school as good as our best public school, not on funding alternatives."

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