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Vicki Slater on Education
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Constitutional provision to fully fund public schools
Q: What issue do you plan to focus on?A: If the education system was fully funded, we could hire thousands of assistant teachers that could help students that have problems reading--or in whatever area--ahead of time of them being tested rather than
to hire teaching assistants after the failure by the students. Thousands of textbooks could be bought with that money. There are schools systems in Mississippi where there aren't enough textbooks for the room. It's total failure in leadership.
Q:
Democrats have been very critical of the governor and Republican leadership on the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, but shouldn't there be some flexibility for, say, times of economic downturn?
A: No; they have had that flexibility since
1997, and they've only fully funded twice. There wasn't an economic downturn in every one of those years. They're not going to do it unless there is a constitutional provision that requires them to do it. I don't think it should be left to them.
Source: Jackson Free Press on 2015 Mississippi Gubernatorial race
, Jul 22, 2015
Vouchers drain money from the public schools
Where I Stand:- As Governor, I will be committed to fully funding public education under the MS Adequate Education Program formula and to ensuring that every child in Mississippi--regardless of where they live--receives a first-rate education.
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I fully support passage of Initiative 42.
- Over-reliance on high-stakes tests developed by multinational corporations is stifling children and demoralizing teachers, without actually making schools better.
No teacher opposes measurement, when it is used properly to improve outcomes and not punish children and teachers.
- We must return to treating those who teach in public schools with respect, and to pay them according to the value we place on our future
- Over 90% of Mississippi students attend public schools, and we cannot improve those schools by draining money from them for vouchers and privatization schemes.
Source: 2016 gubernatorial campaign website, slater2015.com
, Jun 25, 2015
Page last updated: Apr 22, 2020
