For Immediate Release
July 21, 2020

Media Contact:
Angela Allmond, Communications Director
Oklahoma Democratic Party
405-536-2412

Siphoning Public Education Funding Unacceptable

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Democratic Party released the following statement on Stitt funding private school scholarships:

“Diverting emergency funds to private education is a foul move right out of Trump and Betsy DeVos’s handbook. Stitt is taking advantage of a pandemic crisis to steer money that should be designated for public education based on the percentage of students served. Unlike private schools that have multiple avenues to fund private education, public schools do not have these additional resources and are dependent on tax-payer funding in each district,” stated Andrews.

“Stitt is directing only 50% of the emergency funds to public education when public schools represent 91% of the student body. This is an outrageous move for special interests which only further hurts our public education that has already dealt with a decade of cuts, loss of teachers, dilapidating buildings, and outdated materials.”

“This governor doesn’t care about public education, its students nor support staff. He is only interested in his personal agenda to promote private schools and pander to Trump and DeVos. This was not Congress’ intent on how the emergency funds were to be allocated and siphoning public funds to private education is unacceptable,” concluded Andrews.

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For more information about the Oklahoma Democratic Party, visit the party website at okdemocrats.org, or call party headquarters at 405-427-3366.