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GLAA to Feinstein: Don't impose vouchers on District 07/22/03 Feinstein: Let D.C. Try Vouchers (op-ed, The Washington Post) 07/22/03 Mayor Williams and 10 Councilmembers opposed school vouchers in 1998 07/20/03 GLAA to Council: oppose school vouchers 07/03/03 |
GLAA joins coalition opposing federal vouchers
July 17, 2003
Committee On Appropriations
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Coalition for Accountable Public Schools (CAPS) opposes any appropriation of federal funds toward an unproven school voucher program that would serve a select few DC students in schools that are neither accountable for the public monies they receive nor prohibited from discriminating in hiring and admissions.
A September 2002 GAO study of a privately-funded voucher program in DC showed no significant impact on the academic achievement of African-American students in our community. A November 2002 poll showed that three quarters of DC voters oppose private school vouchers when told of their negative impact upon DC Public Schools. In a community with no congressional votes, it would be unconscionable for this committee to not heed the will of our people by voting for an unproven, unaccountable school voucher program.
CAPS urges the committee to appropriate all monies toward DC Public Schools and its fully-accountable charter and transformation schools, so that proven reforms that serve ALL DC Public School students can be administered.
CAPS consists of parents and other DC residents as well as education, civic, civil rights and liberties, labor, religious and other advocacy organizations devoted to the support of accountable public schools. This list consists of those who oppose diverting public money to private and religious schools through vouchers.
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D - D.C.)
Councilmember Adrian Fenty (D - Ward 4)
School Board Member Dwight Singleton (D- District 2, Wards 3 & 4)
School Board Member William Lockridge (D-District 4, Ward 7 & 8)
School Board Member Tom Wells (D-District 3, Wards 5 & 6)
Reverend Graylan Ellis Hagler, Plymouth Congregational Church
Reverend Willie Wilson, Pastor, Union Temple Baptist Church
Rabbi Daniel G. Zemel, Temple Micah
Rabbi Marc Israel, Union of American Hebrew Congregations
American Jewish Congress - National Capital Region
District of Columbia Congress of Parents and Teachers Association (DCPTA)
D.C. Statehood Green Party
D.C. VOICE
Parents United for DC Public Schools
Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators (SHAPPE)
Stand Up! for Democracy
21st Century School Fund
Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs
Washington Teachers Union
Raymond S. Blanks, Emmaus Group
John Capozzi, former U. S. (Shadow) Representative (D-DC)
Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance
Anise Jenkins, StandUp! For Democracy
Erika Landberg, Senior Associate, DC VOICE
Mary Levy, Director of the Public Education Reform Project, Washington Lawyers' Committee
Terry Lynch, Downtown Cluster of Congregations
Linda Moody (formerly of the D.C. School Board)
Hillary Shelton, D.C. NAACP
Iris Toyer, Co-chair, Parents United for D.C. Public Schools
Malcolm L Wiseman Jr., Stand Up! for Democracy
Ward 6 Democrats
Ward 7 Educational Council
Ward 8 Democrats
National Advocates:
American Association of School Administrators
American Association of University Women
Anti-Defamation League
American Federation of Teachers
Americans for Democratic Action
American Jewish Committee
American Jewish Congress
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Central Conference of American Rabbis
Economic Policy Institute
Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America
NA'AMAT USA
National Alliance of Black School Educators
National Association of Elementary School Principals
National Coalition for Public Education
National Council of Jewish Women
National Education Association
National PTA
National School Boards Association
National Urban League
People For the American Way
Public Education Network
Union of American Hebrew Congregations
United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries
Women of Reform Judaism
For more information, please contact Iris Toyer, Parents United for the DC Public Schools,
202-518-3667
