State Rep. Pamela Hornberger, chair of the House Education Committee and former public school teacher, issued the following statement after the governor’s veto of several line items within the Legislature-approved state budget:

“I am disgusted Gov. Whitmer has chosen to use Michigan public-charter students as pawns in her political game. She vetoed $240 in increased per-pupil funding for nearly 150,000 students – most of whom are low-income and minority students in urban areas – denying them the same funding increase going to other public school students across the state.

“More than half of Detroit families choose to enroll their children in public charter schools because that is the best option for them. Gov. Whitmer should be ashamed of herself for this outright discrimination that will deny some of the most vulnerable students in Michigan access to critical funding.

“The governor has also chosen to veto several other important education budget line items, such as career technical education and robotics equipment, summer school reading grants, Algebra Nation and more. I am shocked and truly disappointed in our governor and her cavalier attitude when it comes to the future of our students.”

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