Conservative Nebraska lawmakers push bills that would intertwine religion with public education
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Conservative Nebraska lawmakers push bills that would intertwine religion with public education

Associated Press  

— Conservative lawmakers who want to intertwine religion with school curriculum in Republican-dominated Nebraska presented a slew of bills Monday to the state Legislature’s education committee. The list includes a bill that would give parents more control over their local school’s library books and curriculum and another that would allow public school students to receive school credit for attending religious classes outside school. “But under this bill, the way it’s written, you couldn’t do anything about it.” State Sen. Loren Lippincott’s bill would give school credit to public school students who attend religious classes outside of school during school hours. Allowing the religious education, he said, would help students “develop a stronger sense of morality” and would help lead to “fewer behavioral issues in schools.” Middle and high school students could partake, and the religious credit program would be open to all religions, as long as it “does not undeniably promote licentiousness or practices that are inconsistent with school policy.” Not all bills before the committee Monday sought to enmesh religion with education.

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History of this topic

Republican Plan To Get Christianity Into Schools
2 weeks, 4 days ago

Republican Plan To Get Christianity Into Schools

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING From displaying the Ten Commandments to demanding that teachers use the Bible in their classrooms, conservatives seem determined to blur the lines between church and state by infusing Christianity into public schools. “We’re seeing an effort to have this Supreme Court reconsider longstanding precedent on keeping public schools secular,” Laser said. “I’m concerned we’ve sent a troubling …

Measure to repeal Nebraska’s private school funding law should appear on the ballot, court rules
3 months, 1 week ago

Measure to repeal Nebraska’s private school funding law should appear on the ballot, court rules

Associated Press  

A ballot measure seeking to repeal a new conservative-backed law that provides taxpayer money for private school tuition should appear on the state’s November ballot, the state Supreme Court ruled Friday. The ruling came just days after the state’s high court heard arguments Tuesday in a lawsuit brought by an eastern Nebraska woman whose child received one of the first …

A measure to repeal a private school tuition funding law in Nebraska will make the November ballot
3 months, 3 weeks ago

A measure to repeal a private school tuition funding law in Nebraska will make the November ballot

Associated Press  

Public school advocates have collected enough signatures to ask voters to repeal a new law that uses taxpayer money to fund private school tuition., according to Nebraska’s top election official. It is the second time ahead of the November election that public school advocates have had to carry out a signature-gathering effort to try to reverse the use of public …

Ample signatures collected for referendum to repeal private school funding law, organizers say
5 months, 1 week ago

Ample signatures collected for referendum to repeal private school funding law, organizers say

Associated Press  

— Public school advocates say they have enough signatures to ask Nebraska voters in November to repeal a law that provides taxpayer money for private school tuition, marking the latest twist in a long-running fight with state lawmakers who have repeatedly opposed efforts to let voters weigh in on the public funding plan. “Nebraskans deserve the opportunity to vote on …

Public school advocates again face how to stop school choice in Nebraska
8 months ago

Public school advocates again face how to stop school choice in Nebraska

Associated Press  

— Public school advocates in Nebraska are decrying the passage of bill to directly fund private school tuition with taxpayer money as a “cowardly act” to keep voters from deciding the issue at the ballot box. The new measure will directly fund those private school tuition scholarships from state coffers, and leaves the ballot measure to repeal the private school …

The push for school choice in Nebraska is pitting lawmakers against their constituents
8 months, 1 week ago

The push for school choice in Nebraska is pitting lawmakers against their constituents

Associated Press  

— Nebraska lawmakers are set for the first time to pass a bill that would block the public from voting on a ballot measure initiated by citizens of the state, setting up what could be a long battle over whether to fund private school tuition with public dollars. Lawmakers often refer to the state’s residents as “the Nebraska Legislature’s second …

Nebraska lawmakers seek to solidify taxpayer-funded school choice before voters can decide it
8 months, 1 week ago

Nebraska lawmakers seek to solidify taxpayer-funded school choice before voters can decide it

Associated Press  

Nebraska lawmakers are on track to pass a bill that would circumvent an upcoming ballot initiative in which voters could repeal a new state law that funds private school tuition with taxpayer money. Acknowledging that voters might reject the new law, Linehan, a Republican, is now pushing a bill that would directly fund the private school scholarships from state coffers, …

Nebraska GOP bills target college professor tenure and diversity, equity and inclusion
10 months, 1 week ago

Nebraska GOP bills target college professor tenure and diversity, equity and inclusion

Associated Press  

Scores of people turned out Tuesday to testify well into the night on bills being considered by Nebraska lawmakers that target diversity initiatives and higher education programs, mirroring proposals by Republicans across the country. The bills before the state Legislature’s Education Committee included one that would ban diversity, equity and inclusion — known as DEI — programs and offices at …

Parents like private school vouchers so much that demand is exceeding budgets in some states
1 year, 1 month ago

Parents like private school vouchers so much that demand is exceeding budgets in some states

Associated Press  

In some states, higher-income families can now use taxpayer money to cover private school tuition -- and more people than projected are taking the offer, which might force scrambles to shore up state budgets. It’s especially an issue in states like Arizona and Iowa, where at least some families whose children were already in private school can now take advantage …

Opponents of Nebraska plan to use public money for private school tuition seek ballot initiative
1 year, 3 months ago

Opponents of Nebraska plan to use public money for private school tuition seek ballot initiative

Associated Press  

Organizers of an effort to have Nebraska voters weigh in on whether to use taxpayer money to pay for private school tuition scholarships said Wednesday they have more than enough signatures to put that question on the November 2024 ballot. “This wildly successful petition effort has shown that Nebraskans agree.” The effort was launched even before Nebraska lawmakers passed a …

GOP leaders in Kansas back off threat to sue Democratic governor over education funding
1 year, 6 months ago

GOP leaders in Kansas back off threat to sue Democratic governor over education funding

Associated Press  

TOPEKA, Kan. — Leaders of Kansas’ Republican-controlled Legislature backed off a threat to sue the state’s Democratic governor for vetoing parts of a GOP education funding bill, saying Thursday that they still doubt the legality of her actions but now question whether a court challenge would be worth it. The vetoes changed how state funds are distributed to protect rural …

Nebraska passes law on taxpayer money going to private schools
1 year, 6 months ago

Nebraska passes law on taxpayer money going to private schools

Associated Press  

— Nebraska lawmakers passed a bill Wednesday that will channel public money to scholarships for private school tuition, despite critics who say the measure hurts public schools, benefits wealthy taxpayers and helps mostly parochial schools that can discriminate against LGBTQ+ students. Public school advocates have blasted the measure as a “school voucher scheme” that will hurt the state’s K-12 public …

Kansas governor vetoes part of school funding bill, setting up likely legal battle with GOP
1 year, 7 months ago

Kansas governor vetoes part of school funding bill, setting up likely legal battle with GOP

Associated Press  

TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas’ Democratic governor on Thursday vetoed parts of the Republican-backed $6 billion funding plan for the state’s K-12 schools, setting up a likely legal battle that will test her office’s powers. Education groups had pushed Kelly to veto the bill even though it would increase the state’s total aid to districts by about 4% for the next …

Public money for private school tuition bill advances
1 year, 9 months ago

Public money for private school tuition bill advances

Associated Press  

— Nebraska could join 48 other states in offering public money for private school tuition under a bill advanced by the state Legislature on Wednesday, even as some lawmakers expressed concern about taxpayer dollars going to private schools allowed to turn away students based on religious tenets. Rather than appropriating taxpayer dollars directly toward private school vouchers, the bill would …

Nebraska conservatives set sights on education takeover
1 year, 9 months ago

Nebraska conservatives set sights on education takeover

Associated Press  

— Nebraska would use taxpayer money to fund private school vouchers, make it easier to remove books from school libraries, target transgender students and give the state’s newly elected conservative governor more control over education policy under bills being considered in the Legislature. “The Nebraska principals spoke eloquently about the ways that partisan political attacks in their local communities were …

GOP push for teacher gun training passes Indiana House
1 year, 10 months ago

GOP push for teacher gun training passes Indiana House

Associated Press  

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana House Republicans approved a bill Tuesday that would begin a state-funded handgun training program for teachers that critics argue would wrongly encourage more guns in classrooms across the state. The Republican-backed bill passed in a 71-24 vote predominantly on party lines, with supporters saying the training would give teachers opportunities to defend themselves and students if needed. …

Nebraska Gov. Pillen reveals plan for education funding
1 year, 11 months ago

Nebraska Gov. Pillen reveals plan for education funding

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Jim Pillen proposed Tuesday to …

Lawmakers consider major changes to Indiana curriculum bill
2 years, 10 months ago

Lawmakers consider major changes to Indiana curriculum bill

Associated Press  

INDIANAPOLIS — A contentious Indiana bill that Republican lawmakers say would increase transparency of school curricula could undergo significant changes Wednesday in response to mounting criticism from teachers and education advocates. “I think we’re creating legislation with a broad brush for one-off occurrences.” In Elkhart, Indiana, fifth grade teacher Suzanne Holcomb said SEL has become a “vital piece of learning, …

GOP pushes US schools to post all class materials online
2 years, 10 months ago

GOP pushes US schools to post all class materials online

Associated Press  

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Republican state lawmakers across the U.S. are trying to require schools to post all course materials online so parents can review them, part of a broader national push by the GOP for a sweeping parents bill of rights ahead of the midterm congressional elections. “I don’t think anybody disagrees that more information is better for parents,” said …

Republicans want input from education voucher bill opponents
2 years, 10 months ago

Republicans want input from education voucher bill opponents

Associated Press  

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The leader of Republicans in the South Carolina Senate said one of his main goals this session is to pass a bill that would allow some parents to get public money to spend on private schools. Economists who estimate how much bills could cost issued a fiscal impact statement saying if every eligible student participates, the program …

Indiana teachers push back against school curriculum bills
2 years, 11 months ago

Indiana teachers push back against school curriculum bills

Associated Press  

INDIANAPOLIS — A controversial Indiana bill that Republican lawmakers contend would increase transparency around school curricula has drawn opposition from dozens of teachers who testified Monday at the Statehouse that the legislation would censor classroom instruction and place unnecessary additional workloads on educators. Laura Falk, an educator and diversity initiative specialist with the West Lafayette Community School Corporation, said she …

Indiana Senate bill sparks debate over school curriculum
2 years, 11 months ago

Indiana Senate bill sparks debate over school curriculum

Associated Press  

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana lawmakers on Wednesday began debate on a Republican-backed bill that would require all school curricula to be posted online for parental review and ban schools’ ability to implement concepts like critical race theory. The first draft of the Senate bill prohibits K-12 schools from requiring a student or employee to “engage in training, orientation, or therapy that …

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