All for Kids, a informal group of concerned citizens, is a non-partisan effort for supporting public education in South Carolina. "If you are interested in helping our kids receive a good, public education," says leader Rosellen Aligure, "please join us." The next meeting will be October 17th, 6:30 pm at Gignilliat Center in Seneca. (North Room)
The following is Rosellen's letter to the editor recently published in the Seneca Daily Journal.
Thanks to state Superintendent of Education Mick Zais South Carolina is the only state in the union to lose out on $144 million in federal money to support our public school system. This is our taxpayer money given back to us to support our local public schools. But Zais said “No!” He won’t take the money. Now, once again Mr. Zais is refusing to apply for $50 million in early childhood readiness. Zais is our superintendent of education. He is supposed to be working for education, not against it.
Here is a little background: In 2009, the SC Legislature cut $800 million from the education budget due to the recession. Under Mark Sanford, public education was targeted to be cut more than any other state program. In 2010, state revenues increased sufficiently and the Legislature could have re-allocated the $800 million, but chose not to do so. State revenues increased significantly more in 2011, but Zais has not requested that the education budget be brought up to par. Underfunding education, particularly higher education, is what Mr. Zais wants because underfunding keeps South Carolina below federally-mandated levels.
Our federal government, fortunately for us, does not agree with Mr. Zais. The federal government states that a state cannot simply underfund public education when it has plenty of money available.
Mr. Zais begs to differ. He is now blaming the federal government for not changing the law and making underfunding public education legal. Do we have a fox in the henhouse? What do you think?
Because Superintendent Zais refused to seek state and federal funding for public education, our Oconee County School District has had to dip into our savings to the tune of $2.1 million. That was only for this year, and it may be worse next year. If we keep Mr. Zais, a Republican, as superintendent, we will be looking at larger class sizes with fewer teachers, more time spent on managing classrooms and less time on instruction, higher dropout rates, poor preparation for employment and increased poverty. Is that what we want for our children? South Carolina is overtaking Mississippi and Alabama as the worst educated state in America.
Next time you vote, think about the well-being of our children.