It is no secret that South Carolina's public education system has historically been understaffed and underfunded. Even so, Republican legislators have filed multiple bills, including S.935, that would take even more funding away from our ailing public school system. S.935 would take tax dollars away from public schools in order to create Education Savings Accounts (or ESAs). These ESAs would be used to fund private providers that are not subjected to the same scrutiny and regulations as public institutions, thereby increasing the chances that students will be discriminated against on the basis of their sexuality, gender identity, religion, or disability status. If enacted, S.935 would see an estimated 3 billion dollars be funneled away from our public schools and into these unaccountable private institutions.
S.935 is a copy of legislation written by the American Legislative Exchange Council (or ALEC), which creates legislation for state legislatures on behalf of the capitalist class. ALEC's sole goal is to represent special interests and further entrench corporate control of our government. On top of these concerns, virtually any organization can be deemed qualified to receive these public funds. With no process to prevent misuse, states that have implemented ESAs have seen an increase in cases of fraud. While this bill is being branded as helping the less fortunate, the true purpose of this legislation is clear: the total destruction and privatization of South Carolina's public school system.
Columbia DSA stands with teachers, students, and our communities in opposition to these attacks on our schools. We believe that education is a public good and should not be made subject to the control of capitalist markets.
