Letters: Stop the school voucher ‘madness’; Testing sanctuary status

Stop the school voucher ‘madness’

Those who bought into Donald Trump’s lies to make America “great” are hell-bent on destroying one of truly great things about this country: public education.

For years Republicans have been chipping away at public education with schemes to divert public school tax money toward private, religious and charter schools.

Now, vouchers, the GOP plan for “school choice,” to let students take the public money generated for their education with them to other institutions and programs might be approved. It’s a terrible idea.

Anyone can start a school. All you must do is create and get your business and education plans approved, secure facilities, obtain funding, hire teachers, attract students ... all with sustainable finances. But those advocating vouchers don’t want to do this hard work; they just want to suck money from public education and the public schools that truly did make America great.

Chances are most people reading this attended a public school. You should be aware that the Pennsylvania voucher proposal is a direct attack on your alma mater and, thus, your hometown. No matter where your school rated, anything that reduces its funding will only make it and your town weaker.

Unfortunately, it appears that Governor Shapiro will acquiesce to this attack on schools by approving a voucher system in his next budget. You can help stop this madness by contacting your representatives or Shapiro’s office at 717-787-2500 or at governor.pa.gov/contact. Immediately.

It may be your last chance. If vouchers are approved, they will never go away.

Testing sanctuary status

In January 2017, Philly.com reported that the State College Borough Council passed a sanctuary city resolution. Since I’ve not seen any revocation of the resolution, I assume it remains in place.

Unfortunately, I don’t think that information reached Governors Gregg Abbott (TX) or Ron DeSantis (FL). Had they been notified of the borough’s sanctuary status, I’m certain busloads of illegal migrants would have arrived at State College by now.

It would be a shame to have State College and all other Centre County Biden voters, all 40,000, miss the opportunity to experience the benefits of mass illegal immigration. So, to get the ball rolling, I’ll again offer to write DeSantis and Abbot requesting that they seek out as many interested migrants as possible for immediate transport to State College.

I can see it now. Forty thousand Biden voters turned out at the State College bus station to welcome migrants with the offer of homes and financial support. The thought of this outpouring of love brings tears to my eyes.

More importantly, the new arrivals will help diversify a county that’s about 85% white and, since most migrants will be young unvetted males, solve the worker shortage that Heather Smoyer wrote about in her recent letter without employers needing to raise wages or offer child care.

Although I voted for the other guy in 2020, I really want to help the 40,000 feel good about themselves and show loyalty to the man who started it all — Joe Biden.