Video: Legislature Convenes For 2013 Session

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JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI)- Mississippi lawmakers are back in Jackson and education is back at the top of the priority list for the 2013 legislative session. Lawmakers are prepared for a battle over charter schools, a piece of legislation that’s been squashed in the past.

“Last year, we had difficulty getting it out of committee this year, we’re hopeful. it’s going to be a close vote. It’s going to be a highly charged issue and we’ll have to see,” says Republican State Representative Gary Chism.

Entering with reluctance, Democratic State Senator Hob Bryan believes instituting charters schools would steal money from the public school districts, who are already struggling with limited budgets.

“Anyone who’s a supporter of public education needs to be terrified about this session of the legislature. These charter schools. as they call them, will be able to recruit students from public schools to sign up. And when they do, the tax money that local people pay in their public schools will go out to Timbuktu to some charter school,” says Senator Bryan.

But with opposition, comes support. Senate Pro Tempore Terry Brown believes developing charter schools provides parents with options.

“Just because the money’s there doesn’t mean you can stifle an kid in a failing school. They need alternatives,” says Senator Brown.

A partisan split remains, but lawmakers have 90 days to hash out their differences. Lawmakers say they should start talking about the charter schools issue within one to 3 weeks.

 

Categories: Local News

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