Calls needed to oppose Rep. Chaffetz’s DC voucher bill: CALL NOW – before 10am on Wednesday

Congressman Jason Chaffetz introduced a DC voucher bill Monday (March 6) which will be voted on by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Wednesday morning (3/8).

Time is short! Please call members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to oppose the bill BEFORE WEDNESDAY AT 10AM.

The bill is expected to be at least another reauthorization of the SOAR Act, or worse, a significant expansion of the DC voucher program in advance of a Trump/DeVos proposal to divert $20 billion from other federal programs to private, religious, and home schools.

> Read a letter from DC Councilmembers opposing the SOAR reauthorization in 2015

Talking points for your calls could include:

1) DC doesn’t want or need a voucher program. DC Public and Public Charter schools are rapidly improving and already offer DC parents a wide variety of educational options. In fact, we already have more “school choice” than nearly any other jurisdiction, with accompanying performance and accountability frameworks that provide transparency and protect students’ civil rights, unlike private schools.

2) 80% of students using vouchers in DC attend private religious schools, which operate outside federal civil rights protections and the non-discrimination provisions of the DC Human Rights Act.

3) Imposing a federal voucher program on DC residents outside of our local legislative and budget process is undemocratic and an attack on DC Home Rule.

4) Do your job — your constituents didn’t elect you to the school board in DC. Hands Off DC Schools!

Members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee