A high-quality public education builds skills and knowledge and helps children reach their greatest potential. It fosters teamwork, critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed to land good jobs and help the United States compete in the global economy. We need to make sure all kids have access to equal resources, including computers, smaller class sizes, nurses, counselors and support staff.

But instead of investing in the comprehensive services and support our children deserve, politicians have taken money away from public schools to fund private school voucher programs and charter schools, which lack public accountability and oversight, and often fail to meet the educational and developmental needs of our most vulnerable children. The privatization of public schools, and attacks on the bargaining rights of public school teachers and personnel, are sold as altruistic and in the best interests of our children but if you scratch the surface and follow the money, you’ll find only empty promises for our children and fatter bank accounts for the wealthy.