Last week we reported on the Republican General Assembly’s plans to send big chunks of public funding to private and Christian schools. [Inventively headlined: “GOP plan would send public funds to private schools”]
Since then, the Republican scheme’s been steaming along. The House budget contains money for it, and various reports suggest that the Senate will go along. Expect a budget veto from Gov. Bev Perdue. But last year, five Democrats in the House deserted her, and with their aid and comfort the Republicans overrode her veto in both houses.
Today, Facing South is out with a detailed report on these “neovouchers” for private/Christian schools and the billionaires who love them. We knew about the Walton Family Foundation, i.e., Walmart money. Didn’t know about Betsy DeVos — at least, not in this regard.
Who is Betsy DeVos? She’s the —
billionaire wife of Amway founder Richard DeVos and former chair of the Michigan Republican Party. Betsy DeVos’ younger brother is Erik Prince, founder of the North Carolina-based private security firm previously known as Blackwater; their father was the wealthy founder of an auto parts company noted for his right-wing politics. The DeVoses have spent tens of millions of dollars to support school privatization efforts.
A good reporting job, by Sue Sturgis.
Or a depressing one, should you think billionaires might not be wisest arbiters of how your public school funds should be spent.
