The idea of diverting public funds to private schools has been around in Georgia for many years.  Historically, Democrats oppose diverting public funds for private schools and Republicans have often been in favor.  But that’s not necessarily true in Georgia, where school vouchers went down to defeat last year because rural Republican legislators joined their Democratic colleagues in opposing school vouchers.

The argument from conservative, rural Republicans is that there just aren’t any school “choices” in most rural areas of Georgia.  In some agricultural, rural areas in Georgia it could be an hour or even more drive to the closest private school.  Even here in Chattooga County, that has two public school districts, there are no viable alternatives for private school education unless parents are able to transport their children to a private school in neighboring Floyd County where annual tuition fees run between $11,000 (Unity Christian) and $18,000 (Darlington) per high school student.

Democrats contend that the voucher bill that was defeated last year, with the help from sixteen mostly rural Republicans, would benefit the wealthiest people who already have children in private schools.

Still, the Republican leadership under the Gold Dome is expected to push for public money for private school vouchers during this legislative session that got underway yesterday in Atlanta.