Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Education
 
Board
State Board of Education
 
chapter
Regulations Governing Local School Boards and School Divisions [8 VAC 20 ‑ 720]
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7/11/08  9:46 am
Commenter: Phil Storey

school fees
 

For all its flaws, the public financing of public schools in Virginia generally bears some positive relationship to the financial means of residents. The increase of fees in Virginia's public schools betrays these ideals of basic fairness.

In its landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, the US Supreme Court stated, "In these days, it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education. Such an opportunity, where the state has undertaken to provide it, is a right which must be made available to all on equal terms."

With the rise in public school fees in Virginia, poorer families' children are plainly NOT being provided the free public education the Virginia Constitution requires, and are plainly NOT being provided a public education on the same terms as wealthier families' children.

Please revise the regulations to restore at least a basic level of fairness.

CommentID: 1865