Press Release from Support Our Schools Nebraska
LINCOLN, NE – The group opposing public funding of private schools has petitions in hand and is moving full steam ahead to collect signatures to put the issue on the November ballot for Nebraska voters to decide.
Support Our Schools Nebraska, a coalition of Nebraska not-for-profit organizations, today held a news conference to officially begin gathering the signatures needed to put the repeal of LB1402’s voucher scheme on the November General Election ballot.
“We have only 67 days to collect 90,000 signatures to put this issue on the ballot,” said Jenni Benson, Support Our Schools Nebraska sponsor and president of the Nebraska State Education Association. “This is a clarion call asking voters to seek out and sign the Support Our Schools petition to protect Nebraskans’ right to vote on this issue and to protect our public schools.”
Benson said that though the timeline is a huge challenge, it is clear to her that Nebraskans want to vote on the issue.
“People are appalled that LB1402 was passed to deny Nebraskans their right to vote,” said Benson. “It is a fundamental principle of our democracy that the voice of the people must be heard. The decision to divert public funds to pay for private schools that are not accountable to the public and can discriminate against children should be made by Nebraska voters.”
Volunteers have been chomping at the bit to begin gathering signatures and supporters have been contacting Support Our Schools Nebraska to ask when and where they could sign the petition, Benson said.
‘There is substantial evidence from other states showing the harm these costly voucher programs cause public schools and taxpayers. Vouchers undermine strong public education and student opportunity. They take scarce funding from public schools—which serve 90 percent of students—and give it to private schools—institutions that are not accountable to taxpayers,” said Benson.
“Instead of sending public dollars to private schools, which are under no obligation to serve all children, state funds should be used to support the public schools that 9 out of 10 Nebraska students attend.
ATTACHED ARE A FEW PETITION-SIGNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMING WEEK
For more information – including where you can find a petition to sign, how to volunteer or to donate to the cause, please visit:https://supportourschoolsnebraska.org/
- List and Map of Signing Events: https://supportourschoolsnebraska.org/sign-a-petition
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SOSNebraska
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SOSNebraska/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/SOSNebraska
