ARIZONA AG WARNS PARENTS: IF YOU CANT' HANDLE THE HEAT, STAY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
In a statement Monday, Attorney General Kris Mayes said various state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin and sex, including sexual orientation and gender identity, may not apply in private and parochial schools.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has issued a warning to all the parents in the state who are planning to use school choice vouchers for their kids. According to Mayes, families need to be aware of the rights they give up when they leave the public school system. Well, no kidding, Sherlock!
Mayes is specifically talking about the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) funds, which are now available to all students in Arizona. She wants parents to know that private institutions do not offer the same protections for students with disabilities as public schools do. So, if your child has a disability and you decide to send them to a private school using ESA funds, you might be giving up some important rights.
But don't worry, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne has fired back at Mayes, saying that his office is confident that "every penny of these funds is used for valid educational purposes." Phew! That's a relief. I was really worried that someone might be using ESA funds to buy a yacht or something.
In case you're not familiar with school choice vouchers, they allow parents to use public money to pay for private school tuition. This is supposed to give families more options when it comes to their children's education. Of course, it also means that public schools lose out on funding, which is why some people are not big fans of the program.
But let's be real here, the real issue is not whether private schools offer the same protections for students with disabilities as public schools do. The real issue is that private schools are expensive! I mean, have you seen the tuition rates at some of these places? It's like they're charging you for the privilege of having your child attend.
So, if you're a parent in Arizona and you're thinking about using school choice vouchers, just remember that you might be giving up some important rights. But more importantly, remember that private schools are expensive and you might end up having to sell your kidney just to pay for tuition. Good luck!
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issues school choice voucher warnings https://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/arizona-attorney-general-kris-mayes-issues-school-choice-voucher-warnings
Arizona attorney general warns of rights forfeited by sending kids to private schools https://www.azfamily.com/2023/07/24/arizona-attorney-general-warns-possible-esa-fraud-rights-forfeited-private-schools/
Parents who pull kids out of public schools to take advantage of vouchers could make them victims of bias | The Daily Independent at YourValley.net https://www.yourvalley.net/stories/parents-who-pull-kids-out-of-public-schools-to-take-advantage-of-vouchers-could-make-them-victims,413491