Charles Young

School choice appears to be gaining a foothold elsewhere in the country, and a state legislator is concerned Mississippi could be moving in that direction. 

Arizona recently passed a Voucher School Choice initiative that was supported by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

State Rep. Charles Young Jr. (D-Meridian), who represents District 82, which includes Lauderdale County, said Mississippi is also attempting to restrict funding sources for public education.

“The state is doing everything it can to reduce funding sources for public education. We are taking public dollars and moving them into the private sector,” Young said Monday during the EMBDC Council of Governments meeting at The Checker Board. “In addition to tax cuts and tax incentives, the Appropriations Committee budgets through the General Fund are being reduced.”

Lauderdale County School District Superintendent Randy Hodges said he does not support such a possibility. 

“It’s a concern of mine because of the way state schools are funded. If a student chooses to go to private school, the money would follow them to that school,” Hodges said. “This would kill public schools and I’m totally against that. It’s a sad day. It aids more of your more affluent children than the ones who live in poverty.”

Young, also, expressed concern over budget reductions in the Mississippi Department of Health. Young said the agency could lose essential personnel.

“The state is reducing budgets and reducing staffing in various agencies, including the Department of Health. “With losses in personnel, some agencies are not able to provide vital services that are conducive for the public’s safety and welfare,” Young said. “The Department of Health may lose inspectors that are essential for testing the quality of drinking water. We just don’t have enough inspectors checking the water. That should be a very grave concern.”

On other topics:

• Young said the state is trying to beef up its enforcement arm for vehicle insurance, with a law that will go into effect next year.

“One of the ways we are going to add an additional enforcement mechanism is to require county tax collectors to verify and confirm insurance at the time of vehicle purchase of the license tag and renewal,” Young said.  

• Young said this region is fortunate and has yet to discover the horrors of child trafficking like other parts of the state.

“Child trafficking is becoming a big, big business. We don’t have it bad here yet, but on the Gulf Coast it is horrific,” Young said. “There, you name it, they have it. We’ve just got to do something about child trafficking to help children.”