Since our founding, Friends of Vermont Public Education has had one clear mission: to ensure that any school receiving public taxpayer funds adheres to the same rules, regulations, and standards established by Vermont law.

The Council of Independent Schools (CIS) monitors private and independent schools in Vermont.

Editor emeritus Emerson Lynn of the St. Albans Messenger notes that Sen President Pro Tem Baruth has a choice to make with the Senate appointments to the redistricting task force. Beck and Bongartz should not be among them.

Public school advocates worried that in the final days of negotiations about transforming how schools are financed and governed in Vermont, private schools got inordinate attention.

July 1 was a difficult day for public education in Vermont. But this fight isn’t over. Friends of Vermont Public Education will keep working to ensure that any school receiving public dollars follows public rules, serves all students, and answers to Vermonters.

The legislation has sparked debate over its impact on independent schools. Critics, such as Friends for Vermont Public Schools, argue these institutions disproportionately influenced the law.

The complaint alleges that two senators who voted for the education transformation bill, which Governor Scott plans to sign Tuesday, had conflicts of interest.

Geo Honigford, a member of the advocacy group Friends of Vermont Public Education, filed his complaint with the Senate Ethics Panel on Monday. It claims Sens. Seth Bongartz and Scott Beck, who played a key role crafting the sweeping education reform bill H. 454, violated state conflict of interest rules in their advocacy for private schools.