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Friends of Vermont Public Education

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PRESS RELEASE

 

For Immediate Release

April 23, 2024

 

For More Information Contact

Friends of Vermont Public Education

https://www.savevtpubliced.org 

vtpubliced@gmail.com

 

Governor Scott’s pick for Secretary of Education caps over a decade of failing to support Vermont’s public education system.

Senate should not confirm Scott’s education secretary nominee, says group of current and former school board leaders

 

MONTPELIER – At a Statehouse press conference this morning, a group of current and former school board leaders urged the Senate to vote “no” on confirming Gov. Phil Scott’s pick for education secretary and to take a stand against the governor’s privatization agenda. 

 

“Vermont’s public education system, a cornerstone of our democracy and enshrined in our constitution, is under unprecedented strain. Instead of taking the lead to ensure that over 80,000 Vermont students are provided a strong, vibrant and world-class public education system, Governor Scott has taken steps to erode local control and restrict funding of public schools while simultaneously allowing more money to flow to private and religious schools,” said Adrienne Raymond. 

 

That the Senate Education is holding hearings on a candidate for Secretary of Education with minimal experience in public education should not come as a surprise. For years Governor Scott’s actions have signaled that he is not a champion of Vermont’s public education system:

 

  • In 2014 Lt. Governor Scott calls for the elimination of local school boards in favor of a central board whose purpose is to regulate school costs. 

 

  • In 2016 when running for Governor, Phil Scott opposed the State Board of Education’s plan to apply the same rules to private and public schools stating the board “... should withdraw these rules and rewrite them to support, preserve and expand educational choice in Vermont. As governor, I’ll appoint board members who are open-minded about school choice and value the role it can play in growing our economy and retaining and recruiting more working-age families.”

 

 

 

  • Again in 2018 after saying he was “very happy and impressed” with the fiscal discipline of school boards, the Governor suggested the state should claw back another $40 million from schools after budgets had already been approved.

 

  • In 2019 the Governor proposed a plan to merge all of Vermont’s school systems into a single district, establish universal public and private school choice, remove local voter approval of school budgets and abolish the State Board of Education. 

 

  • In 2024, after nearly a year since the resignation of Dan French, Governor Scott selected Zoie Saunders, a for-profit charter school executive, to be Vermont’s next Secretary of Education. 

 

In introducing their 4 point plan, Neil Odell stated “First, we request that the Senate decline the Governor’s selection for Secretary of Education. This will provide the Governor with the opportunity to revisit the search and selection process. With this opportunity he can reconfirm his strong support for public education in Vermont and make it clear to the State Board of Education that candidates with leadership experience are crucial but so too is a demonstrated knowledge and experience in our nation’s public school system with a firm grasp of Vermont’s rural character.” 

 

Greg Hughes continued, “The Governor should immediately cease taxpayer money flowing to religious schools” noting that since last year the amount of taxpayer money flowing to religious schools has increased to over $1 million. Ken Fredette added that the Governor should partner with the legislature to “pass legislation restoring school construction aid” and finished with a request to Governor Scott to “get out and visit our public schools. Go to a classroom. Walk through our buildings. Talk with educators and school administrators and understand what challenges they are facing in their schools.”

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About Us

Friends of Vermont Public Education is a grassroots organization founded by a group of current and former school leaders from Vermont who are deeply concerned about the future of public education. Our mission is to ensure that the distribution of public money for education in Vermont is done in a manner that is consistent with our state and federal constitutions. All schools that receive public funding must agree to comply with the state’s public school rules and regulations. Together with communities across the state we hope to elevate the great work that schools and school boards are doing to maintain a vibrant, successful and high quality public education system. 

 

Geo Honigford 

former board member from South Royalton and past president of the VSBA

 

Greg Hughes 

former board member from Bethel

 

Neil Odell

current board member in Norwich and past president of the VSBA

 

Adrienne Raymond

former board member from Shrewsbury and past board member of the VSBA

 

Ken Fredette

former board member from Wallingford and past president of the VSBA

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