| Controversial Education Bill Has Public Hearing |
| (Columbia) The Governor's "Put Parents in
Charge Act" is probably the most controversial issue at the
Statehouse right now. Critics say the tax credits for private schools and home schools would hurt public schools. On Wednesday, the public had the chance to be heard, but the "public" was not who was heard at this hearing. Almost all of the 36 people who signed up to be heard are officials or members of groups for and against the bill. For example, the governor made a surprise appearance to push for his own bill, which would provide tax credits for parents to send their kids to another public school. "It is what we have come to expect as the American way of doing things," said Gov. Mark Sanford. "Competition is core to the way we do everything else in our society." Education Superintendent Inez Tenenbaum also spoke at the hearing. "I know I speak for hundreds of thousands of public education supporters across the state when I urge you to send this legislation back to the out-of-state interests that brought it here in the first place," said Tenenbaum. Some questions, however, still remain about the bill. While it would give parents a tax credit for moving their child to another public school, it is unclear which school would then get the money to educate that child. The bill's main sponsor, Spartanburg Rep. Doug Smith tells us the 'old' school would get most of the money. The 'new' school would only get the amount of the tax credit to use to teach that child. |