Nebraska State Education Association, (Courtesy)
LINCOLN – The Nebraska State Education Association strongly opposes Gov. Jim Pillen’s plan to include $7 million for a private school voucher program within the Nebraska Department of Labor’s budget.
At a time when Nebraska’s budget is under intense scrutiny and lawmakers are weighing cuts to essential services, this proposal raises serious concerns about misplaced priorities and a lack of respect for voters’ clear rejection of voucher schemes.
“Despite sending a very clear message at the ballot box in the last election, the governor has decided yet again to ignore the will of the people of this great state,” said NSEA President Tim Royers. “Allocating millions of our tax dollars to private schools, at a time when he is slashing critical state services, is deeply concerning. We will use every remedy possible to make sure this proposal does not become a reality.”
NSEA also questions why private schools require an additional $7 million in state funding when Nebraska has already newly opted into a federal program that Governor Pillen has championed and “cannonballed” the state into – without adequate consideration of long-term consequences for public education.
“In a year when the state budget dominates every discussion at the Capitol, Nebraska’s leaders should be putting students and educators first,” Royers added. “Public dollars belong in public schools.”
NSEA urges lawmakers to reject this proposal and focus on fully funding Nebraska’s public education system, which serves the vast majority of students and remains the backbone of communities across the state
