NASHVILLE, Tenn.— Republicans are working hard to get a bill that would give families school vouchers that they could use to send their kids to either public or private schools.
Some teachers are angry about the plan because it would not include children of illegal immigrants.
Concerns have been raised by some teachers that the school voucher program does not help children who are here illegally. Some politicians in the state say that they should be able to go to public school but not be able to get this program either.
The “Denial of Scholarship Application Section” of the school choice bill is the part that worries people the most. This part of the law says that the department will not give a scholarship to a student who is qualified but can’t show that they are legally in the United States.
GOP Senator Mark Pody backs this because he believes that illegal immigrants shouldn’t get the extra perks and scholarships that citizens who pay taxes do. At the moment, illegal aliens in the United States do have the right to go to public school.
The Executive Director and CEO of Professional Educators of Tennessee, John C. “JC” Bowman, says that this part of the law is not valid. In the case of Plyer vs. Doe, it was made easier for illegal children to go to school.
This rejection of grant applications is in both the Senate and House versions of the bill.
Governor Bill Lee pushed for school options in the last session. Republicans think he will work hard to get this bill passed this session since this is his last term as governor.
Source: Undocumented Students Left Out of Tennessee’s Renewed School Voucher Program
