Punch line: The budget deal to fund the federal government for the next five months includes money to revive the DC’s school voucher program, which subsidizes private school tuition for needy students with federal funds.
Demonstrating their hypocrisy towards improving the quality of education for inner city kids, some teacher union-backed Dems and the Mayor of DC cry “unfair”.
To whom? you ask.
The teachers’ union, of course.
The GOP-led House voted to reinstate the DC school voucher program last month. But the bill had little chance to go any further with the Obama administration opposed to vouchers.
However, the Republicans were able to get the initiative included in Friday night’s deal that cut spending by $38.5 billion.
Congress eliminated the voucher program in 2009. Critics of vouchers, including teachers unions, say it draws money away from public schools.
Under the program, which began in 2004, more than 3,700 students, mostly black or Hispanic, have won scholarships which provide up to $7,500 in private-school tuition.
In a Saturday morning tweet, Mayor Vincent Gray called the rider a "shameful violation of our right to govern ourselves."
Gray called on all D.C. residents to voice their opposition to the "colonial status of the District of Columbia."
AP, Budget Deal Revives DC School Voucher Program, April 09, 2011
The Homa Files 