WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | South Carolina legislator, Guardsman on leave casts key vote

South Carolina legislator, Guardsman on leave casts key vote

(Columbia) March 29, 2007 - A proposal to help parents pay for private school tuition with public money has been defeated Thursday by the House, the third consecutive year the idea has failed.

Army National Guard Captain James Smith returned from training at Fort Riley, Kansas, to vote against the proposal. "There's really nothing more important than public education and the debate over reform and where we choose to go in the state versus universal enrollment and the governor's voucher plan."

Smith is a Democratic representative in Columbia.

Democrats proposed a bill that would allow parents to move their children from a failing school, to any other public school in the state. Then, some Republicans proposed amendments, that would extend choice, and state dollars, to private schools.

Rep. Jim Merrill (R-Berkeley) spoke during the debate, "It's an earnest attempt to educate children that right now are trapped, my friends. And while we are messing around and going this way and that way and worrying about it we are going to be re-elected we are sentencing thousands of children to staying in decrepit and run down schools."

That brought a passionate response from Democrats. Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter (D-Orangeburg) said, "If you think investing state dollars in a private school system is going to be our salvation, I've got another thought for you. Here's that other thought. Mr. Speak and members of this body we tried a dual system, years ago. It was called segregation. It didn't work then and it's not going to work now."

In the end, it was close, but the amendments were voted down and the choice was limited to public schools. James Smith said that made his trip home worthwhile. "I leave here today being very satisfied in the work."

Smith told his colleagues Thursday voters decided in November they didn't want school vouchers when they elected a Democrat to head the Education Department. Democrat Jim Rex defeated Republican Karen Floyd.

Smith is to deploy to Afghanistan in a couple of months. He says he told his battalion commander it was an important vote and was granted one day's leave.

Now the bill is headed to the Senate where there's expected to be another big argument.

Reported by Trey Paul with AP

Updated 8:09pm by Chantelle Janelle