While we defeated yet another round of voucher bills put forth by Missouri's Republican Legislature for 2008, the their lifting of campaign contribution limits against the will of the people's vote in 1994 will allow the wealthy to push for our tax dollars to go to private, religious schools. Click here to read our new report analyzing how Rex Sinquefield is trying buy voucher laws. This report has been updated to reflect the Missouri Supreme Court ordered refunds of contributions over the limit. The legislature on May 16, 2008, lifted contribution limits again effective August 28th, 2008.
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Is the Missouri State Board of Education for Sale?
The Missouri State Board of Education is charged with "[t]he supervision of instruction in the public schools. This board is appointed by the Governor and appointments must be approved by the State Senate. Governor Blunt and the out of state billionaire pro-voucher political action committee, All Children Matter, are attempting to send our public tax dollars to private schools.
Learn about Governor Blunt's most recent attempt to dismantle pubic education here. Read Is the Missouri State Board of Education for Sale? Derio Gambaro and the Money Trail.
Read our reports about other attacks on public education:
"Who Supports Urban Children?" (Feb, 2007)
"All Children Matter: Influencing Missouri's Legislative Election in 2006." (Dec 2006)
"All Children Matter: Influencing Missouri Public Policy." (Oct 2005) |
What are Vouchers and Why are They Dangerous to Missouri's Public Education System?
A "voucher" diverts public tax dollars away from public schools to private or religious schools. Vouchers are often designed as a "tax-credit" that taxpayers may claim their State or Federal income taxes. These "tax-credit vouchers" drain funding from general revenue and thus from Public Education. In Missouri, "voucher" schemes are complex because Missouri's Constitution specifically prohibits tax dollars from directly funding a private or religious school.
Vouchers do not cover the entire cost of tuition for most private schools and only benefit those families that can afford to pay the rest of the tuition. Private and religious schools accepting vouchers are not subject to the accreditation standards of Missouri's public schools. In addition, private schools accepting vouchers would still be allowed a selection process of whom they choose to educate.
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Who is All Children Matter?
A new Political Action Committee (PAC), All Children Matter (ACM), appeared in Missouri in
2004. ACM is committed to funding candidates and pushing legislation that would work to
implement school vouchers.
All Children Matter has its origins with the Michigan DeVos family (founders of AmWay, now
Alticor) who started ACM after an unsuccessful attempt to pass a ballot initiative there in 2000
to provide private school vouchers. ACM advocates vouchers and tuition tax credit vouchers to
promote school choice and education reform. Based in Virginia, as of 2004, ACM PACs existed
in seven states, including Missouri.
All Children Matter’s Missouri State PAC donors represent some of the nation’s most provoucher
elite. Richard DeVos, Jr, former chairman and director of AmWay, son of the AmWay
founder has heavily invested in ACM. Jim and John Walton, both
heirs of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton have made major contributions. Also funding All Children Matter is Robert Hertog, past chairman of the
Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank that produces pro-voucher research. The largest Missouri donor Funding All Children Matter is Rex Sinquefield, current President of the Board of Directors for the Show Me Insitute.
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