SENATE BILL: Power to Parents Act (Failed)

[Sbane]

I think we should allow open enrollment but we shouldn't pay for transportation. If you want to send your kid to a school farther away, you should arrange for the transportation.

[Sbane]

How about only providing transportation to families below 133% of the poverty line? I will not support a bill where we provide transportation to anyone who wants to send their kids to a far away school. I also think just passing the bill without any transportation support would create an even greater problem in lower income schools with even greater concentration of poverty in those schools since those who can afford it would transport their kids to another school. It would basically help those who can't afford to buy a house or rent in a good school district but still have the resources to transport their kids across town. It won't help the real poor which I think is the intent of this bill.

[Sbane]

Or we could do something similar to the Northeast law and force the regions to adopt it by threatening to take away their healthcare money?

[Sbane]

How about only providing transportation to families below 133% of the poverty line? I will not support a bill where we provide transportation to anyone who wants to send their kids to a far away school.

It sounds good in theory, but I challenge you to explain how in the world that would work. Cab drivers? I mean...

I was thinking more of vouchers rather than sending cab drivers around to pick up kids lol. Obviously it won't be as convenient as having the government pick the kids up from near their home but we can provide resources to the parents so they can arrange for another method of transportation. The lack of proper public transit will be a problem in many areas though.....

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How many parents would actually do this? You'll be traveling awfully far from home from Brownsville, Brooklyn or East Los Angeles before getting to a decent public school. Those who can afford it have already been placed in private schools anyway.

I think your concerns are more valid in more rural areas with widespread poverty as opposed to urban areas with concentrations of poverty. At least in the case of East Los Angeles, there are many good school districts close by like Monterey Park and Alhambra to a certain extent. Temple City and Arcadia are exceptional. All within about a 30 minute drive. But yeah, many parents wouldn't take you up on the offer even if you give them gas money and some more.

It would basically help those who can't afford to buy a house or rent in a good school district but still have the resources to transport their kids across town. It won't help the real poor which I think is the intent of this bill.

They can only choose from the schools within that district under this plan (not that I believe the federal government can or should force a change like this).

Yes, which is why I propose we do something like the Northeast and let them attend any public school of their choice regardless of district. As for taking away healthcare funding, that is how the federal government makes the states do things in real life. Roberts of course put some limits on that, but Ebowed and Opebo might not see it the same way.

[Sbane]

I appreciate the debate going on but am having trouble following.... if this impedes the regions, how would a universal health care bill not do so? I'm not sure why this bill is different then others that have been passed here...

Also- Sbane would you feel comfortable with an amendment holding something other then health care in the balance for the regions?

Yes we can use something else as the carrot.

Also Napolean, isn't the transportation money coming from the Feds? No one is forcing the regions to spend money. We should only ensure they open their schools to enrollment regardless of location. The Northeast of course wouldn't even be impacted.

[Sbane]

How will it cost regions money?

[Sbane]

How will it cost regions money?

The administrative costs will be quite hefty.

Could you expand on that a little further? Imnot seeing why those costs would rise.

[Sbane]

Nay...still conflicted about the whole bill. Let's see what we end up with.

[Sbane]

Nay.

I don't think this bill works but we could encourage the regions to pass a law similar to what the Northeast has. In the end I came to the conclusion that the best thing to do was to pass what the Northeast has, but since my colleagues found that compelling regions to do it by denying them funding was unconstitutional, I have no choice but to abandon this bill.