The Rutherford County Democratic Party supports the Board of Education's stand against legislation proposed by the Tennessee General Assembly to create a school voucher system.

Here is a LETTER TO THE EDITOR from local Democratic Party Chair Jackie Pope.

To the Editor,

On March 8, 2017, the Rutherford County Board of Education approved a resolution opposing the General Assembly's planned legislation to create a state voucher system. "The Rutherford County Board of Education opposes legislation establishing school vouchers in Tennessee as school vouchers hurt the free public education system, divert limited state education dollars to private interests and have been shown to hurt the academic progress of students," the resolution states.

The Rutherford County Democratic Party stands firmly in support of the Board Resolution and in adamant opposition to any voucher legislation entertained by our state government.

We ask our elected legislators to vote NO on vouchers and to support their constituency rather than outside special interest groups.

Vouchers do not work! They are nothing more than a cleverly disguised national agenda to segregate the affluent from the poor and to strangle our public schools of critical funds diverting tax dollars to for-profit entities.

Voucher programs drain school budgets, harm their financial stability and disrupt the growth of local communities. Every dollar pulled from our public schools undermines their core mission to provide a quality education for all of our children. Individuals, parents, and businesses look to strong public schools as the foundation of the community. Vouchers will dismantle that foundation.

New home sales and prices will fall. Business will close, job creators will move away, jobs will dry up and the economy will plummet.

If our schools fail, so does our community. Unlike voucher systems, our public schools turn no child away.

Public schools don't discriminate on a parent's ability to pay or the child's skill and ability level. Public schools provide for the needs of ALL children. Our free society is built on the foundation of a solid public education system that welcomes our children with equal opportunity.

The Democratic Party's opposition to vouchers is not about protecting the status quo. Our opposition lies in protecting our most critical resources: our children, our families and our community. It is our moral obligation to fund and support our public schools.

Thank you Rutherford County School Board for your vocal opposition to the state's move to implement a voucher program. The Rutherford County Democratic Party is proud to stand by your side. Join us and oppose this destructive legislation.

Respectfully,

Jackie Pope, Chair
Rutherford County Democratic Party
615-948-0223
Popercdp16@gmail.com