Incoming House Majority Leader Scott Odenbach discusses his views of what a school voucher program would look like with third party vendors, and goes into detail on how it will ‘help’ children with mental health issues, according to an interview in the Black Hills Pioneer,
There are third-party vendors out there that can help us administer it smartly with guardrails so that the money is only used by those families who take the money for either the tuition or for certain defined and approved expenses directly relevant to their child’s education. Take a look at what we’re able to do with virtual education. It’s mind blowing. You can have the best instructors in the world teaching your child virtually.
and..
I keep hearing this term, ‘no public money for private schools.’ And they the folks that are advocates for having a monopoly, if you will, and just the public school system. I think they’re wrong. I think that the public money is to be as directed by the legislature, and the Constitution directs us to use all suitable means to ensure that the benefits of education are available to everybody. And I don’t think public school is the best choice for everybody. I also think that these issues that we’re hearing about all the time of mental health, the school people are always telling us they want more mental health counselors, in many ways, an education savings account program to give parents choice of where to direct the funds will be a relief valve for a lot of those mental health issues for the kids that don’t fit in in the public school, or it’s not the right environment for them.
Scott argues it will be a ‘relief valve’ for children’s mental health because.. some of the kids who need the services won’t be in public schools anymore?
I suppose that’s one way to look at it.
That sentient turd from Spearfish refuses to fund mental health, but hopes defunding public education absolves him from the responsibilities of section 8 of the SD constitution.
I’m not convinced the proposed school voucher program is a good idea, especially from the perspective of homeschooling for children who are NOT physically or mentally challenged. While there ARE parents who excel at homeschooling (and the values-driven education argument has its merits), the reality is most parents are NOT equipped to homeschool effectively. Many struggle daily to even ensure their kids have a proper breakfast before heading out in the morning. Some parents are minimally involved in their children’s education and upbringing (note: “free range” may work with raising chickens – it DOES NOT with children), so providing them with a financial incentive to “homeschool” could backfire. While the concept might seem noble from a Libertarian, far-right perspective, practically speaking, it’s a recipe for disaster.
Education is an investment. We should be funding public education more and not finding ways to kneecap it.
His rationale regarding public and private is questionable.
If tax dollars are channeled to “private” schools, they are no longer “private”. Pretty simple concept, no need for an ideological twist.
If the little Leprechauns want to to school their kids outside the local public school system they are free to do so on their own dime. Be warned though! There is a real risk those little Leprechaun kids may not fit into these church schools where they will be excluded and bullied. If so, there will not be the resources for those kids and their families at a church school that they would have at a public school system. Public school systems are for everyone including little Leprechauns.
Odenbach is a German name.
Is this a heinously bad attempt at making fun of someone’s children? If it is, you should be ashamed of yourself. I’ve known Scott for many years. Personally, he’s a great guy. Disagree with him on some stuff and agree with him on a lot of stuff. Disagree with him on this one. But I’d never consider using it to make fun of kids. That’s just sick.
After reading HB 1009, it’s got no shot in a lean budget year. Lay a bunch of requirements on the DOE requiring them to hire more FTEs while ensuring the DOE has no oversight? The Speaker tends to use Florida as a shining example about how Vouchers improve outcomes for both Private and Public schools yet Florida’s ACT scores are at all time lows and below the National Average and 2 points below South Dakota’s? Rough estimates are it’s gonna take a Million Dollars in FTEs and 3rd Party vendors to manage a program of no accountability. They can’t be serious.
Of course they’re serious.
The fact that academic outcomes will tank and any semblance of accountability will be wholly absent are features, not bugs. It’ll give Scott ammunition to go after teachers and the DOE for lower test scores and lack of oversight.
Nothing Scott loves more than crapping in someone else’s bed and then loudly blaming them for the mess.
Wondered what that smell was