There is a saying: in life, you get what you pay for.

In order to have, at the minimum, an adequate level of public education in our state, the Mississippi Education Blog believes there should be a consistent minimum expectation for state funding levels. School budgets should not be subject to the discretion of the Legislature, which has demonstrated an inability to fully fund public schools, even in the best of financial times. We support Initiative 42 as the mechanism for securing this adequate level of funding.

We have heard and read the protestations of Initiative 42 opponents. At the end, however, we find ourselves asking this question: If the Legislature isn’t going to adequately fund public schools when the money is available, when will they ever? How can we have faith in officials who continue to say “trust us”, yet still find reasons not to fully fund our schools?

In our minds, it’s simple. On November 3rd, Mississippians can demand our schools to be treated as a priority, and not an afterthought, by voting yes on Initiative 42.

– The Mississippi Education Blog Team