Religious School Vouchers in JeffCo?...I don't think so....

In 2009, out-of-state special interests swamped the Douglas County Board of Education elections. Their surprise victory after spending tremendous amounts of money on robocalls and attack ads resulted in Douglas County instituting a religious school voucher program earlier this year. Douglas County’s religious school vouchers are on hold after a judge ruled that the program could violate constitutional separation between church and state. Despite the expensive court battle and nationwide controversy that erupted from Douglas County’s religious school vouchers, far-right enemies of public education now have a "culture war" rallying cry.

Unbelievably, some in Jefferson County want us to be next.

Two candidates for the Jefferson County Board of Education, Preston Branaugh and Jim Powers, are being promoted by the very same right-wing interests who supported Douglas County’s religious school voucher candidates two years ago. A Denver Post story from earlier this month reveals the similarities between the takeover of the Douglas County school board and what’s happening right now in Jefferson County. [1] Don’t think it can’t happen here: what Branaugh and Powers are saying now is the same thing the Douglas County candidates were saying in 2009.

The stakes are very high, and the extremists are hoping you aren’t paying attention. Please make sure you get your ballot back to the Jefferson County Clerk by next Tuesday night at 7PM! Click here for more information on ballot drop-off sites and Voter Service Centers. If you are a registered voter but did not receive a ballot in the mail this year, please call the Jefferson County Elections Division at 303-271-8111 to make arrangements to vote.

Don’t let Preston Branaugh or Jim Powers turn our school district into a costly legal fiasco and public embarrassment. Please turn your ballots in! If you've already voted, please forward this message to your friends and neighbors in Jefferson County, and make sure they know what's at stake.

Make sure you vote against this attempt to take taxpayers dollars to promote religious education.

If you support prop 103, more money for worse schools, vote for the females, if you support allowing students and parents a choice, vote for the male candidates.

I do have experience in religious grade schools and it will shock LJ, but they didn't force religion down the throats of non-Christian kids. They were offered the choice of religion class or a study hall.

Don't try to take away her primary hate issue SS109. Without her hate of religion the prune might dry up and blow away.

I don't care whether they do or don't cram religion down their throats... They can do it without my tax dollars.

Perhaps the same crowd that goes bat-sh*t-crazy when the ParkCo cops stop for coffee in their patrol cars "on the taxpayer's dime" could get hysterical over this?

Figure it this way, currently the Jeffco taxpayers are paying the schools $10K a year per student to do a crappy job. If vouchers are approved, the public school gets to keep 5K of that money and the private school gets partially paid by the parents and partially by the taxpayers. The taxpayers, student, and parents all get a better educated kid. No brainer for me. Plus LJ, your federal taxpayer dollars in Pell Grants and the GI Bill do pay to educate college kids at private religious universities already. Seems a contradiction, ok to use taxpayer money for college students but not elementary or high school students at private religious institutions.

And in Canada, the Catholic Church gets paid by the goverment to run many elementary and high school programs.

But we aren't talking about federal dollars, are we.... We're talking about Jefferson County. I don't want my COUNTY TAX DOLLARS supporting religious schools. What part of that are you having trouble with? And we aren't talking about Canada.

Deflect much?

My federal tax dollars go to fight wars I don't want to be in; and build weapons I don't want; and support military functions I don't want... I don't get to vote on those.

I DO get to vote on the people in Jefferson County who want to divert my tax dollars to religious schools. If enough of us vote against them, it doesn't happen. THAT I can do something about.

LadyJazzer wrote: But we aren't talking about federal dollars, are we.... We're talking about Jefferson County. I don't want my COUNTY TAX DOLLARS supporting religious schools. What part of that are you having trouble with? And we aren't talking about Canada.

Deflect much?

My federal tax dollars go to fight wars I don't want to be in; and build weapons I don't want; and support military functions I don't want... I don't get to vote on those.

I DO get to vote on the people in Jefferson County who want to divert my tax dollars to religious schools. If enough of us vote against them, it doesn't happen. THAT I can do something about.

One of the women wants to keep all contract negotiations private until the contract is settled - then she'll let the public in on the details. The other hasn't decided yet is Prop 103 is good or bad... Indecision is supposed to be an incentive to vote for her?

That's a load of crap.

So, I'm supposed to vote for the women based on a voucher issue that isn't relevant now, and won't be relevant for years while it's tied up in court?

Jesus, LJ... how stupid and gullible do you think we all are?

Good point Nobody, vouchers are still in the courts right now but I think the male choices are going to do a much better job demanding improved schools for our students instead of the ladies whose main goal is improved salaries for the teachers.

LJ, if you want the teachers union to dominate the school board, vote for the women. If you want someone to speak for the kids, and the taxpayers, vote for the men.

But we aren't talking about federal dollars, are we.... We're talking about Jefferson County. I don't want my COUNTY TAX DOLLARS supporting religious schools. What part of that are you having trouble with?

Here's the part that I am having trouble with- All the money collected to educate our kids does not really belong to the public schools- or to the teacher's- or to the teacher's union, or to the school district- and it most definitely does not belong to you anymore LJ.

Know who the money should belong to? The students! And the parents of those students should be given a choice where that money goes and how it is spent to educate their kids. If the best choice is a religious school, the parent and student should be allowed to use it there. This does not "benefit" the religious school over the public school- it benefits the STUDENTS!!

If the public schools continue to show consistently crappy performance as compared to the private or religious schools- more and more parents will divert their kids to what works the best. I could care less if the public school system survives- I care more about the kids getting a good education. More competition in schools is better as far as I am concerned. If the public school wants to compete with other schools- it better get it's act together- or maybe the public school should just go away.

Douglas county is in court fighting the public school system and the unions over this issue now- and the outcome of that lawsuit will determine exactly this point.....

Does the money we collect to educate our kids belong to the public schools- or does it belong to the students? Does our tax money belong to the teachers- or does it belong to the students?
If the funding ultimately belongs to the students- Religious School Vouchers will become a reality all over Colorado- and you can expect the same result for Jefferson County as well.

Poor LJ, can't get any respect, or support for her loony ways.