Tax Dollars, School Vouchers Topic of Sanibel LWV Luncheon

provided to The Santiva Chronicle

The League of Women Voters of Sanibel will hold a citizen education luncheon program on Thursday, March 13 at 11:30 a.m. at the Sundial Beach Resort & Spa on Sanibel. “Your Tax Dollars, School Vouchers, and the Impact on Public Education” will be presented by Norin Dollard, PhD, of the Florida Policy Institute.

In this year alone, school vouchers in Florida will siphon billions of your tax dollars from our local public schools to private schools, religious schools, and to individual parents who homeschool. These vouchers are available to every Florida parent/guardian, regardless of income, costing an estimated $88 million in Lee County alone.

The Orlando Weekly has noted that “. . . authorized purchases (using school vouchers) include paddle boards, televisions, and theme park admission for Florida parks such as Disney World, Sea World, Universal, and Legoland.” Orlando Weekly, August 29, 2024

What is the impact of this financial drain from Florida’s public school system on our children, our community, and our democracy?

Norin Dollard, PhD, is a senior policy analyst with the Florida Policy Institute. She brings more than 30 years of experience in the health needs of children and families across child-serving systems in Florida and New York. Attendees will learn the details of the ever-expanding universal voucher program, and its effect on teaching and learning in public schools.

The cost of the program is $30 per person, which includes lunch. Payment by cash or check can be made at the door. Seats are limited to the first 100 to register. Registration is requested by no later than March 6. To register, click here  or email lwvsanibel@gmail.com.

For more information, contact Cathie Kozik, President, Sanibel League of Women Voters, at cekozik@gmail.com or 224-659-2239.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization that has fought since 1920 to improve our systems of government and impact public policies through citizen education and advocacy. The League’s enduring vitality and resonance come from its unique decentralized structure. The League is a grassroots organization working at the national, state, and local levels.