Group has less than two weeks to get signatures to repeal Nebraska school choice bill

LINCOLN, Neb. — The deadline is approaching fast for a group gathering signatures to repeal a school choice law in Nebraska.

Support Our Schools Nebraska has until July 17 to collect 62,000 signatures to put the issue on the ballot.

The bill, signed by Gov. Jim Pillen in April, provides $10 million a year in state funding for scholarships for private school students. 

SEE ALSO: 2023 school choice bill won’t be on the ballot in Nebraska

Support Our Schools believes taxpayer dollars should be used to strengthen public schools.

“If you’re draining public funds to pay for private schools, that means less money to support our public schools, where 9 out of 10 children go,” one volunteer, Karen Kilgarin, said.

Sen. Lou Ann Linehan introduced the bill and said the problem is private schools can’t raise enough money for scholarships for everyone, especially low-income students.

“The one group that we’re leaving out is low-income people,” Linehan said. “You can have school choice. You can either attend a private school or attend public options, or you can move to the school district you believe is the greatest school district, but you can’t do that if you’re poor,” she said.

SEE ALSO: ‘The voters will reject this’: Petition in motion against Nebraska school choice bill