Nebraska teachers union trying to kill school choice law out of fear, mother says

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Nebraska teachers union trying to kill school choice law out of fear, mother says

Nebraska's teachers union is trying to kill the state's new school choice program out of "fear" said a mother who confronted a union president last week. 

"I really think it's fear from the teachers union, because if it weren't [afraid] they wouldn't be fighting so hard," Clarice Jackson told Fox News. "They obviously believe that many families will choose another option and that that will in some way impact their bottom line."

"That's unfortunate because it's about students," she added. 

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In May, Nebraska passed its first school choice bill, The Opportunity Scholarship Act. This is tax credit-funded program that will provide students from middle and lower-income families, students who have been bullied, those with exceptional needs, in foster care, from military families and students denied option enrollment in a public school the ability to receive a scholarship to attend the school of their family’s choice.

The Nebraska State Education Association (NSEA), the state teachers union, and other public school advocates are attempting to repeal the law, calling it a "private school tax scheme" and saying it will take funding away from public schools. 

Jackson, an avid supporter of The Opportunity Scholarship Act, said two of her own children went through the state’s school system in the early 2000s. Her daughter suffered from dyslexia and had a "horrific" time in their local public school. 

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In May, Republican Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen signed LB753 (Opportunity Scholarships Act) – the first school choice bill in Nebraska's history to be signed into law.  (Nebraska.gov)

"When we were navigating the system for my daughter, their solution to me was, ‘We're doing the very best we can do for her.’" Jackson said. "She could not read simple two and three-letter words."

Jackson was only in her early 20s at the time and could not afford another schooling option for her daughter. The experience "ignited a passion" in Jackson for educational freedom for low-income families. In 2012, she opened her own tutoring center for dyslexic children. E

"When you are in that system and that system is not working and you have gone through every step that they've asked you to go through, and their only solution is ‘we're giving you our best’ and the best is your kid can't read," Jackson said. 

"What is your solution for a family? What would you tell me?" she continued. "And every time I've asked that question, they don’t have an answer." 

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In a viral video from last week, Jackson asked those same questions to Tim Royers, president of the Millard Education Association, an NSEA affiliate, during an event where he was advocating against the new school choice law. 

"He had no answer," she said. 

A group called "Support Our Schools Nebraska," led by NSEA, started a petition to get the new law on the 2024 ballot and repealed by voters. The school choice program commits $50 million in tax credits for scholarships, however, state funding for public education was also increased by $1.3 billion this year.

"My question to the teachers union would be: How much money do you need to ensure that you do the things that you need to do for students?’" Jackson said.

At the time of the bill’s passing, Nebraska’s schools had a 47% proficiency rate in English and 46% in math, despite spending nearly $13,000 per student. Comparatively, the average private school tuition in Nebraska costs $5,000. 

Jackson said teachers unions need to "take a step back," and let parents decide what is best when it comes to their children's education. 

Clarice Jackson, a mother and school choice advocate, urged parents in Nebraska not to support the union-backed initiative to repeal the state's new school choice program. (Fox News )

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"They are trying to act, in my opinion, like child protective services," she told Fox News. "You do not own our kids. You are not the child's best advocate. Parents are."

The mother and school choice advocate urged parents in Nebraska not to support the union-backed initiative to repeal school choice. 

"When you come across the Support Our School’s petition – decline to sign," she said. "You're not going to get accurate information,  You're going to get a lot of fear-baiting information that’s not going to tell you the power that this particular bill puts back into your hands as a parent when it comes to your child's education."

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