Hey, Troy Miller here, Democratic candidate for West Virginia House of Delegates in District 98.
I wanted to talk a little bit about the proposed closing of North Jefferson Elementary here in District 98.
On Monday, September 16th, there was an open meeting at the elementary school where we heard from parents and community members and teachers and people around all about how important North Jefferson Elementary is. And not just to the community of Fox Glen, but for so many students who are on individualized education programs and who really need the type of individualized education that North Jefferson, by all accounts, is providing better than pretty much anywhere else in this district.
Beyond that, the school is in good condition, according to the school board's own report, and they're looking at saving only $1.5 million by moving all of the students into multiple new schools.
And it frankly didn't seem like this plan had been entirely thought out.
But here I want to talk about quickly. I think this has at least a little bit to do with the "Hope Scholarship" and with falling enrollment or projected falling enrollment in this area.
And the reality is that we will see more and more public school closures as more and more students or families take students out of public schools, take those $4,000 and send and hope to send their kids to a good private school -- that will cause the school aid formula to fall all over the state.
That's just going to happen.
Beyond that, I think the "Hope Scholarship" is really burying what it is because it's not really about hope for a better education.
It's "here's $4,000 and hope you got accepted into that private school."
It’s "here's $4,000 and hope that that private school doesn't raise the tuition by exactly that amount next year."
And the reality behind this "school choice" movement is that it's not the parents’ choice of schools, it's the schools' choice of students.
That's how these private schools perform so well.
That's why they don't provide any guidance to public schools about how public schools could perform better or meet their high scores.
Because the secret is very simply, the schools are choosing their students!
You can find more about my campaign and myself at www.TroyForWV.com .
You can sign up for updates you can volunteer, you can donate -- and you can email me directly!
I look forward to hearing from you! Troy N. Miller Candidate, House of Delegates District 98
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