Legislation that’s designed to stem a potential flood of students from unaccredited schools in St. Louis and Kansas City to nearby suburban schools was heard Tuesday before a Missouri Senate committee.
The bill’s provisions include scholarships for kids in unaccredited public schools to attend private schools, and it would allow accredited schools to open charter schools in unaccredited districts. Tina Hardin of St. Louis spoke in favor of the bill. Her son was accepted into a Catholic school, but says she can’t afford to send him there:
“I don’t want my kids to say, ‘mom, you failed me…no, the system failed you because I couldn’t send you where you needed to go’…these kids are our future, and we have some intelligent kids around,” Hardin said.
Opponents called the bill unconstitutional and said it would result in private interests raiding state coffers. A committee vote will be held later.