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Nixon vetoes school transfer bill

Saint Louis, Mo. — Gov. Jay Nixon stood before educators and some local lawmakers after he vetoed a bill for the second year in a row that the Missouri legislature passed with sweeping reforms aimed at unaccredited school districts.

Colloquially known as the “school transfer bill” among Jefferson City regulars, the legislation began two years ago when Normandy and Riverview Gardens School districts in St. Louis became unaccredited and a 20-year-old state statute opened the doors for every single student in the district to seek a transfer to another public school.

Since then, lawmakers in the Capitol have wrangled everything from tuition rates for sending districts, transportation costs, to just precisely what constitutes “unaccredited.” Last year, Nixon largely cited a small provision in the bill that would have allowed for some eligible students to attend non-religious private schools if no qualifying public option was available, citing the public funds to private schools as the “line in the sand” he would not cross.

This year that provision was gone, but opponents say the bill still seeks to dismantle public education by undermining local control. Nixon said he objected to the bill for failing to cap tuition, providing vouchers for virtual schools, and “expensive mandates, and a bigger bureaucracy.”

“House Bill 42 fails to solve the problems of unaccredited schools in the St. Louis region, and it creates new problems and mandates for districts around our state that are already doing well,” Nixon said in a statement. “In its original form, HB 42 focused on trying to solve the well-known problems of the current transfer law, and address serious flaws in last year’s attempt at a legislative solution. However, as the legislative process unfolded, this bill veered off track. By the time it got to my desk, it mandated expensive voucher schemes, neglected accountability, and skirted the major, underlying difficulties in the transfer law, while creating a host of potential new problems for districts across the state.”

Several leaders in the education establishment called the bill a “one-size-fits all” approach and applauded Nixon’s veto. A host of teachers, superintendents and organizers sent out statements ahead of Nixon’s veto rallying support for the decision.

“I want to thank Governor Nixon for vetoing HB42 and for recognizing the important role that local control plays in our education system,” said Mike Wood of the Missouri State Teachers Association.  “His decision to reject the one-size-fits-all approach of HB42 and the historic coordination plan with the districts in St. Louis that are impacted by the transfer issue helped produce a solution that will meet local needs without burdening schools across our state.  I am hopeful that in the future the legislature will work with us on policies that will help promote local involvement in education.”

But lawmakers and self-titled education reformers fumed over Nixon’s Friday afternoon veto, saying the governor was standing in the way of significant reforms.

Chappelle-Nadal
Chappelle-Nadal

“This veto is indefensible and unfathomable,” Chappelle-Nadal said in a statement. “Governor Nixon’s complete lack of leadership is staggering. We gave the governor the bill he said he wanted and he vetoed it. How is this any semblance of leadership?”

Chappelle-Nadal went on to voice the increasingly polarizing education fight in Missouri, and said Nixon was siding with an establishment with a record of failure.

“It is sad to watch this Governor kowtow to the education establishment’s army of highly paid lobbyists over the interests of our young people and their parents,” Chappelle-Nadal said.  “[Friday] Governor Nixon will inform another generation of Black children that he does not care about their education.”

Chappelle-Nadal’s comments came along with one from the Senate majority. Education Chairman Sen. David Pearce, a Republican, joined senate leaders in calling Nixon’s veto serious setback in the process. Senators sent a copy of a memo from Nixon’s office dated Jan. 7 laying out 9 points the chief executive wanted to see in any school transfer legislation. Pearce says the legislature delivered on 8.

“The governor gave us nine points he wanted us to achieve in the bill. We succeeded in completing eight of them,” Pearce said. “A veto is a significant setback for some of Missouri’s most vulnerable children. It’s sad that the real victims in this veto are the children who remain trapped in failing school districts. Apparently the governor is content to allow a child’s zip code to determine whether they have access to educational opportunities.”