HB440

I oppose this bill because it unfairly singles out public school educators while completely excluding private school teachers, homeschooling parents, learning pod supervisors, and online instructors who have no certification from the same scrutiny. These individuals also have significant influence over the learning and well-being of children, yet they are not held to the rigorous certification standards required of public school teachers. This double standard leaves children vulnerable to questionable instructional practices and subpar instruction from under qualified individuals in non-public settings. Public school educators already meet extensive certification requirements set by the Board of Education, far surpassing what is expected of the groups this bill conveniently exempts. By targeting public school teachers alone, this bill perpetuates discrimination against a profession that has been thoroughly vetted and held to the highest standards. This legislation appears to serve no purpose other than to deepen divisions and advance the ongoing bias against public schools and their educators, a bias openly expressed by many of this bill's sponsors. It is not about improving education—it’s about undermining public schools and the dedicated professionals who work within them and who have taken under and graduate studies in their area of expertise, far more than the group you are conveniently excluding. . I urge you to reject this bill and instead focus on holding all people who work as “educators” to the same high standards, regardless of the setting in which they teach.