LIZ SERPA: It's past time we prioritize education funding

After reading a recent educational headline in the Sun Herald, I could not be any more disgusted!

We are no longer last in national educational rankings, but we are second to last in national rankings. Why does our governor and legislature insist our educational program does not need adequate funding for improvements, including books, equipment, buildings and an increase in teachers' pay? Our public schools have been underfunded year after year.

How will Mississippi's schools ever get off the bottom of the barrel? Remember how the casinos were going to be a boon to our schools and better education in Mississippi? Casinos have been in Mississippi for nearly 24 years and bringing in billions of dollars. In 2014 alone, Mississippi casinos generated approximately $1 billion in federal, state, local and gaming taxes.

When the notion of building casinos in Mississippi first surfaced, besides the economic value yielded by casinos, a major selling point for this industry was money for education. It's funny how we still don't have enough money to adequately fund education.

Recently, the mayor of D'Iberville boldly stated that their administration was going to earmark money generated by the Scarlet Pearl Casino to go towards building a stronger educational foundation for the schools in D'Iberville.

Folks living in D'Iberville: Please don't hold your breath waiting for better schools.

LIZ SERPA

Tradition

This story was originally published January 16, 2016 at 7:00 PM with the headline "LIZ SERPA: It's past time we prioritize education funding ."