For those in Utah, there’s an issue up for voting on Tuesday, Nov. 6. About whether to get rid of referendum 1 or to support it. I hope you have studied the issue and that you’re able to see through the myths and deception.
I have heard no compelling arguments to sway me to be against vouchers– it appears to be the position of those who want to maintain power and control (government educational institutions, unions, administrators, etc). It makes me sick to hear that public schools have been threatening to fire teachers if class sizes drop as a result of students leaving to use vouchers at private schools. I’ve heard this from a few different people. Why should this be even necessary if the schools don’t lose any funding? All the information I have says that schools won’t even lose funding if students opt to use vouchers in the future. This is how I’m understanding it currently (wording taken from an e-mail a friend sent me– if this is incorrect, I’d love to hear it):
The state has a formula that determines how much of the education fund goes to which school districts. The number of students is part of this formula. Presently students who go to private schools are subtracted from the total attending government schools. The misconception is that if a significant number of students opt for vouchers, it would lower the number of students in the district, thus lowering the percentage allocated to the district. However, as defined in the bills and the voter information booklet, students who opt for vouchers will still be counted in their regular government school for the allocation formula. Again, this shows that the amount of funding remains the same.
Even if this is incorrect, as I said, I’d love to hear it. I’d LIKE public schools to lose funding if they aren’t performing well enough and students leave as a result. They should be accountable for the results they are producing, there is no reason why public schools should have a monopoly or be entitled to all educational funding.
But firing teachers for reduced class sizes when funding isn’t dropping? I thought we wanted smaller class sizes, isn’t this one of the problems we complain about with public education? It appears to me to be a tactic to scare teachers into supporting and promoting the campaign against the voucher program. Manipulative and coercive– that alone is a red flag to me.
I will say that both sides have been a little manipulative in the way they’re spinning the issue. Welcome to the world of politics. But when it comes down to it, the most principled choice I can find is to vote in favor of the program.
Here’s what I find particularly offensive about those against the referendum (so many of which come from out of state and you can tell have less than their purported altruistic motives): the supposition that public schools are the only education worth funding, that somehow the GOVERNMENT and it’s schools know best how to educate children and what they should be taught. This is a disgusting attitude that you’ll find in many politicians, regardless of which “party” they represent– they believe they are somehow enlightened and know better than the people they supposedly represent on how to deal with current issues.
I watched “The Truman Show” this afternoon and this voucher issue came to mind. Truman really had no choices in his life. He was being given what someone *else* decided was a good life, and what someone else decided was best for him. And the producer/director of the show Truman was unwittingly starring in tried to convince Truman– after Truman discovers what a farce his life has been and how controlled he’s been– that he knew best and was doing the right thing for Truman. But it violates the fundamental human right to choose for one’s self– it’s immoral. Truman was essentially a prisoner.
Socialists want you to believe that they will provide you with a “good life”– education, health care, financial security, etc., just surrender your freedom and we’ll take care of you. Do we really need to look back to failed socialistic regimes to realize how this just doesn’t work? Sadly, many don’t realize what freedom really is or value it (they think it’s just the right to free speech and freedom of religion, etc), and would prefer to be slaves just as long as certain needs were met. But guess what– what happens when one day your needs aren’t being met and you’re still a slave? Uh oh.
See, for me, the voucher program is not as much about how tax dollars are spent as much as it is about promoting CHOICE and FREEDOM. Fundamentally, it’s not just about education, it’s about the role the government plays in America.
It’s about giving parents greater control over what kind of education their child receives. This is not to say that public schools are good or bad. Some are great. Some are terrible. Some are just OK. But there’s no accountability for those schools if they do poorly (the fallacy is that they just need more money to succeed), and most parents don’t have much choice where their kids go to school. When there’s no choice, there’s no power. On the other hand, when choice appears, parents and students are empowered and begin to take more accountability for their choices.
I hope you’ll take a look at the underlying principles in this issue. I hope that, even in the event that the referendum is overturned by its opponents, that you will wake up and realize how socialistic public education has become, and do whatever it takes to ensure your child gets the education you want and not the education the government or some group of lobbyists wants. Do whatever it takes to maintain your freedom.
Go watch the Truman Show and really give it some thought. Learn what principles this nation was founded on that made it so great, and you’ll begin to see how the freedom they bought at such huge sacrifice, that freedom which makes possible true happiness and progression, has slowly been eroding for decades now. And if you’d like to read an article or essay that more eloquently discusses the real core of this issue and the cause of freedom that it relates to, go here.
Above all, be informed. Don’t buy my opinion or anyone else’s without doing your homework to find out what’s true and what’s not. Vouchers will not solve our problems in education and government but they will certainly be a step in the right direction.
Comments
11 responses to “Referendum 1: School Vouchers”
Hello Couz! I will say now that I work in a public school I am against Ref 1. Actually I for the most part was against Ref 1 before I started at a public school, but now that I work at one I even more am against it. Our schools are underfunded PERIOD! Now, I went to a Private shcool and I promist they are not lacking for money in any way shape or form. Not to mention with 1 voucher I STILL would not be able to send any of my children to ANY of the private schools I would want (i.e Waterford or Judge or Juan Diego.) to in this state do to their tuition being so high. It wouldn’t even make a significant dent. And I know for a fact that most of those schools don’t give out as many scholarships as they say they do. So why are we giving vouchers to people that really can allready pay for private school? Why can’t we redirect MORE funds as it is to public schools? We have one full time Custodian for a school that should have 4. He is an amazing man that makes bupkis and does the work for 4 men. And he does it well, but because we can “skate by” on just one our budget has been cut even more. There are so many programs in this state that DO NOT WORK, but we need to invest in the education of our future generations!
Actually the people that can afford to send their kids to private schools will. I heard that if someone makes over 100k a year, they get a $500 voucher. Big whoop. The fact is that there are a lot of private schools that those with low income could *afford* to send their kids to with a voucher– the lower the income bracket, the higher the voucher. And I don’t doubt more schools would appear if the demand appeared. There are many examples of private schools providing BETTER education with LESS money per student than their public counterparts. Public schools MUST be held accountable for their use of money. It’s possible your school is under-funded. But it’s also possible that it’s being entirely poorly used. If the state has a formula for how much money a school gets… then what’s the problem? Are they not using the same formula on your school? Is the formula “broken”? The question is *WHY* pour more money into a broken system when it’s been proven that more money doesn’t equal better results?
For what it’s worth, while I would send my kids to private school I would probably *not* send them to one that accepts government vouchers anyways.
Also, you can’t say that someone couldn’t come up with a better, more efficient way to educate those kids you work with than the government. The government takes all the money it’s using to fund it’s schools by force, and they have no real accountability for how effectively that money is used.
And cuz, you haven’t given me any valid arguments against the referrendum other than that you want the money that would be spent for vouchers– which comes out of a general fund, not the state’s education fund– to go to public schools. Why shouldn’t I have a say in where the portion of my tax dollars allocated to education go? Why is public school the only solution?
Alas, like I said, this is way bigger than education, it’s about freedom and the role government plays in America.
politics – yikes. I’m probably alone in my opinion, but I really think a Utah lottery (yes, evil gambling) would beef up our school systems’ budgets. I don’t know enough about the vouchers to have an opinion on that, but I do know the schools in Utah are WAY underfunded. It’s good to know that if this ref passes it won’t take away from public school funds.
I voted for the referendum today.
I’m kinda curious as to how one determines that a school is underfunded. I’m not saying schools aren’t, I’m just wondering how they determine how much they need.
I’m thinking that private schools can do more with the same amount of money because they don’t have the administration and bureaucracy to deal with. I mean, are they really necessary?
heebs – I used to agree with you about the lottery thing, but after living in MO I have to say that I think that lotteries are socially irresponsible. The whole problem is that the majority of people who buy lottery tickets are the people who don’t have any money in the first place. Lotteries prey on the stupid and the poor. And I don’t know if I like the message the lottery sends, either: if you’re lucky you’ll get a free ticket out of your crappy life. Wouldn’t it be better to encourage people to save their money and spend it wisely?
I voted for Ref 1 as well. I was actually sick this morning when I heard that it had failed. Are you kidding? Come on people, do your homework and not let propaganda make decisions for you! I, as a future parent, want the choice on how my kids are educated and not feel that my hands are tied by the government. I’m sick I tell you, sick!
ya, looks like the ignorant masses win again. oh well, thats the state of society these days tho. Man, i sure can’t wait for the millenium!!
ty – those are certainly valid points. i just think there’s a certain poeticness about taking money away from the dim and giving to the future (possibly bright) generation. like a stupid tax.
and how much does idaho raise each year for schools? 30 million? i’m sure when you’re looking at the big-scale budgets like a state school system that may not be much, but it’s also nothing to sneeze at.
eh, it’s a purely academic exercise anyway.
I HAVE A CHOICE! ANd the government wuoldn’t have HELPED my decision at all. I’m glad REF 1 didn’t pass. And I wasn’t swayed by propaganda as much as I looked into the system. I am part of the system. Again I say come sit in a small school district with a poor area NOT JORDAN school district and then tell me about Ref 1
Cass your arguments still support the idea that the system doesn’t work.
And were it not for propaganda, the voucher program would still be on the books. Like I said, both sides were maniuplative, but the against side flat out lied, and used fear, doubt, and uncertainty to get people to vote it down. This is SO much bigger than your school not having enough money. The core issue at hand is bigger than education. Do you suppose anything will *really* change for your school as a result of that election?
You are right that you have a choice, though. I think vouchers might encourage a lot of people to be more actively involved in their child’s education, which would make a huge difference.
Ugh. The system sucks.
My senior year Judge Memorial Catholic High School cost $15,000 a year. My mother as a 15 year teaching vet makes $30,000 a year and has 33 6th graders in her class. I agree with you that the system is flawed, but I do not think taking my tax money and giving it to people who can already afford that extra couple thousand a year does not makes any sense. The voucher program had a good idea – give those without a choice, a choice. However, it is badly executed really only gives those with the extra money a break. And while you can dream all you want that all that supposed money will stay in schools and help the remaining students, it won’t be that way. Teachers know it won’t. That money will be redistributed like it always is. Choice is great. But use of public dollars for private use is against our civil rights, end of story.