Delaware Catholics asked to contact finance committee and call for school nurse, driver’s ed funding

By
The Dialog
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726

The Delaware Catholic Action Network (DCAN) is asking people in the diocese to contact the members of the state General Assembly’s Joint Finance Committee to help ensure that funding for driver’s education and school nurses is in the next state budget. The JFC drafts the budget, which must be passed by June 30.

Delaware.flag2The committee is “grappling with a substantial budget shortfall,” DCAN said. “At times like these, budget-writing legislators turn their attention toward cutting funding to even the most essential programs.”

School nurses, according to DCAN, are the first line of defense in the physical and emotional health of children. Nurses, in many cases, are the only people in a school building who can dispense medications.

Driver’s education is required by Delaware law, which mandates that private school students pursuing their driving privileges be instructed in the state’s curriculum and taught by teachers employed by the public school system. The last time the state reduced funding for driver’s education, families were charged more than $400 to have their students take the course.

DCAN points out that Catholic school families pay school taxes, just as any other family, and should be entitled to a program taught via public instruction.

Gov. Markell, the network said, has already recommended the small transportation stipend to nonpublic school families be eliminated.

Messages can be sent through www.votervoice.net/BroadcastLinks/bGsOMD27_QdxZwJESIJA1A.

Members of the Joint Finance Committee are as follows:

McDowell and George Smith are the chairpersons of the committee.

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