If there was one issue that could overtake abortion in this year's elections, this is it. Schools sue State.
As reported in the Rapid City Journal, a coalition of schools have now sued the state of South Dakota for more funding:
About a third of South Dakota’s school districts filed a lawsuit Thursday that seeks to force the state to provide substantially more financial aid to public school districts. The lawsuit, filed in circuit court in Pierre, argues that the current state funding system violates a constitutional provision that guarantees all children access to a free, adequate and quality public education. The constitution also requires the Legislature to use suitable means to provide that public education, the suit says.I've got to get showered up and head up to Watertown, but read it all here in the interim, and we'll discuss further later.
The 81-page lawsuit seeks a court order declaring the current funding system to be unconstitutional and requiring the state to provide sufficient funding for schools.
“The failure of the South Dakota Legislature to use all suitable means to adequately fund public education has wreaked havoc upon the ability of South Dakota school districts to provide, and the opportunity for South Dakota children to receive, an adequate and quality education in South Dakota’s elementary and secondary schools,” the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit is based on a study commissioned by school districts last year that initially found that the state needs to provide at least an additional $102 million a year to bring funding for public schools to an adequate level.
Comments
Lowest paid teachers in the nation. 80% of school districts opting out of property tax limits just to get by. Many school buildings crumbling. No mandatory preschool. And all they want to talk about is forcing abstinence-only education on every school board. pitiful!
With so many elected Republicans, and a $1 billion pile of gold in the state treasury, where's the leadership?
And don't think Rounds won't stay away from the abortion issue, either. I am willing to bet that he'll have the words "pro-life" on some of his commericals, where he lays on that overly fake smile at the end.
In truth, every parent and school staffer, and everyone who really cares about kids in this state, should vote for the people that will support more money for schools - but the rich republicans, and their rich friends, they don't like seeing their tax bills go up when they are already paying private school tuition for their children to attend their rich schools.
O'Gorman spends 6500 per student. That's how much a rich kid is worth in this state. Public school students are only worth 4300.
If your grammer is a product of the schools in South Dakota then I have to break ranks with the Republican party and admit they have done a terrible job with schooling.
If your inability read numbers and spell is a result of the same South Dakota school system, then I agree with you.
BK
BK
Unlike other states (I'm talking to you, Kansas!), I am quite confident SoDak's judiciary does not have the guts to overturn the lege. Especially on this issue.
Brad S
Didn't Rounds recently say he is "progressive" on education? Ha!