On October 7, Representatives from the state's leading educational organizations, including the South Carolina School Boards Association (SCSBA), the Superintendents' Division of the South Carolina Association of School Administrators (SCASA) and the South Carolina Congress of Parents and Teachers (SCPTA), held a press conference to outline their reasons for opposition and to announce the launch of a grass roots-level campaign, "The Right Choice: Our South Carolina Public Schools".
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 Press conference speakers included:
 SCPTA President Chuck Saylors of Greenville;
Summerton resident Bea Rivers, the daughter of Henry Brown who was a plaintiff in Briggs v. Elliott desegregation case;
SCSBA President Leni Patterson chairman of the Laurens 55 board; and
Superintendents' Division President Steve Hefner, superintendent of Richland School District Two.
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Stephen W. Hefner
President, SCASA Superintendents' Division
"...On behalf of my fellow superintendents, I am here at this time to alert the public that there is a serious threat to the forward momentum we are currently experiencing in our South Carolina public schools ..."
Read remarks in their entirety (Word doc)
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Leni Patterson
President, South Carolina School Boards Association
"...I want to take just a few minutes to emphasize our association's commitment and dedication to building strong coalitions of citizens in local communities to oppose any legislation that would allow PUBLIC money - in the form of a tax credit or voucher - to pay for private or parochial school or home school..."
Read remarks in their entirety (Word doc)
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Bea Rivers
Summerton resident and daughter of Henry and Thelma Brown, plaintiffs in Briggs v. Elliott School Desegregation Case
"...As Mr. Saylors stated, the public schools are public for a reason and who would know better than my parents - Henry and Thelma Brown who had the courage to stand up and fight for the right of every child to have equal access to a public education regardless of academic ability, family background, or the color of your skin..."
Read remarks in their entirety (Word doc)
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Chuck Saylors
President, South Carolina Congress of Parents and Teachers
"...As a member of South Carolina's largest and most diverse child advocacy organization, with over 140,000 members and growing, I am here to make it clear that as a parent, I am in charge of my childrens' education and the right choice for my family is our South Carolina public schools! ..."
Read remarks in their entirety (Word doc)
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 Press release: Public education supporters launch anti- tuition tax credit/voucher campaign (Word doc)
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