Colorado Jumps Aboard the Voucher Madness Train
But privatizers may have some problems
It’s the “year of the voucher.” Or, so it seems. With states like Kentucky and Colorado considering school privatization at the ballot box in November.
Peter Greene digs into the Colorado ballot measure and notes that if passed, there could be some real problems.
Greene highlights the plain text of the proposed amendment:
SECTION 1. In the constitution of the state of Colorado, add section, 18 to article IX as follows: Section 18. Education - School Choice
(1) PURPOSE AND FINDINGS. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO HEREBY FIND AND DECLARE THAT ALL CHILDREN HAVE THE RIGHT TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS A QUALITY EDUCATION; THAT PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO DIRECT THE EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN; AND THAT SCHOOL CHOICE INCLUDES NEIGHBORHOOD, CHARTER, PRIVATE, AND HOME SCHOOLS, OPEN ENROLLMENT OPTIONS, AND FUTURE INNOVATIONS IN EDUCATION.
(2) EACH K-12 CHILD HAS THE RIGHT TO SCHOOL CHOICE.
Then, he poses some uncomfortable questions for privatizers:
Wouldn't this language amount to a state takeover of all charter and private schools?
And that's not all. Wouldn't this amendment also allow parents to intrude into every classroom? If I have a constitutional right to direct my child's education, does that not mean that I can tell my child's science teacher to stop teaching evolution? Or start teaching evolution? Can I demand a different approach to teaching American history? How about prepositions? And how will a classroom teacher even function if every child in the classroom comes with a parent who has a constitutional right to direct their education?
Do the privatizers really want the state to have control over all school choice options? After all, the plain language spells out “school choice” as a constitutionally protected right.
There’s a lot not to like about this proposal - from the side of both public education defenders AND school privatizers.
Meanwhile, the South Carolina Supreme Court demonstrated that words do have meaning:
More specifically, the Court there ruled that these words in the State Constitution mean what they say:
Article XI, Section 4 of the South Carolina Constitution:
No money shall be paid from public funds nor shall the credit of the State or any of its political subdivisions be used for the direct benefit of any religious or other private educational institution.
Any state considering adopting or expanding vouchers would do well to look at the significant, negative fiscal impact vouchers have had in Indiana:
Only instead of $54 million in new money being spent on vouchers, the total cost is expected to exceed $300 million.
Started in 2011 under former Gov. Mitch Daniels as an avenue to help low-income students escape failing public schools, the voucher program has changed dramatically in the last decade. While it has helped thousands of families choose their preferred school, the cost is projected to grow 263 percent in just five years.