The veto session in Springfield starts today. Front and center in the minds of advocates for education choice is the Invest In Kids tax credit scholarship program. This program has been a benefit to low-income families who are able to send their students to private schools thanks to scholarships. In its first year, more than 5,400 scholarships were awarded, with an average scholarship amount around $6,700.

This is significant. But opposition from the Chicago Teachers Union is heavy.

Some lawmakers want Invest in Kids to be a permanent program, but those backed by the powerful Chicago Teachers Union are being told that it must come to an end, which it will do at the end of the year if lawmakers fail to extend it. Why? Union bosses do not want any competition for government schools – and it doesn’t matter to these power brokers that they are failing our students.

Apparently, the top priority of union leaders is to defend their K-12 monopoly in spite of urban students being stuck in failing government schools. More students require more teachers. More teachers increase the power and resources of the union. Meanwhile, taxpayers are expected to fund these schools regardless of their effectiveness.

VETO SESSION

We are starting the first week of the fall veto session today, and Invest in Kids Act, could be considered for an extension. This much-needed program is scheduled to end (sunset) on January 1, 2024, but Leftist groups want to kill it now.

A teachers’ union front group called “Illinois Families for Public Schools” wants to end this program and are putting a lot of pressure on legislators to do so. They distort the program by calling the scholarships vouchers. Recall previously that Gov. J.B. Pritzker slandered this program by calling it a tax loophole.

More than ever, we need freedom-loving citizens to contact their own representatives and tell them to remove the sunset for the Invest in Kids Act. 

There are four ways that you can help:

1.) If you are able to travel to Springfield this week, please join with those who will try to reach our elected officials in person. Contact Bobby@empowerillinois.org to get more information.

2.) Click HERE to contact your elected official via phone and email. This website will identify your state senator and representative. You can use a pre-written message and/or add your own personalized note.

3.) We need you to share this message with family and friends. Please forward this email. You do not have to have a child in school or in this program to make your voice known.

4.) Pray! Let us make our strong appeal to our great God and Heavenly Father for His mercy. Our confidence in all things is through our Lord Jesus Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Act and Pray!

We are living through a spiritual/legal/political revolution in our nation. The issue at hand is more than just money. We recognize that ultimately we are in a spiritual battle. We must first be in prayer for the sake of our state and for the sake of many who have been helped out of government indoctrination centers. We also must express our strong disapproval to Gov. Pritzker and our state legislators about cutting this program in any way.

Read more:

Chicago Teachers Union Funds Lawmakers; Record Shows It Gets What It Wants (Illinois Policy Inst.)

The Year in Teacher Union Double Dealing (The Heartland Inst.)

Pritzker Says He Would Sign Invest in Kids Extension (Illinois Policy Inst.)

Education Choice Means Accountability to Families (The Heritage Foundation)