The passage of Proposal 1 would be the beginning of a downward spiral in the fate of public schools.
Voters should soundly reject it.
Proposal 1 would repeal a 1970 constitutional amendment outlawing public funding of religious schools. Students attending schools designated as failing - those with a graduation rate of less than two-thirds - would receive a $3,300 voucher that could be used at the school of their choice.
This proposal equates to giving up on public schools, which are a cornerstone of the country’s philosophy. Vouchers are not guaranteed to be successful and Michigan children are not a science experiment. Proposal 1 abandons the idea that all children deserve a quality education.
By distributing public funds to private schools, some with religious affiliations, Proposal 1 blatantly violates the separation of church and state. Taxpayers should not have to pay for a school affiliated with a religion they do not practice.
The proposal might amend the state Constitution to allow public money to go to religious schools, but it will still violate the U.S. Constitution.
Proponents of vouchers claim that increased competition will force public schools to improve to retain students. But these schools cannot compete if they are inadequately funded, which will undoubtedly happen if vouchers are implemented. The proposal’s supporters say the money for vouchers will be taken from a $1 billion surplus, but what happens if this surplus runs out?
The proposal’s supporters also claim that vouchers would give all students access to the quality education they deserve. But the students that are most targeted by this proposal are the least likely to be able to take advantage of it.
Private schools are not required to accept every student and can deny a student access to based on his or her race, religion or background. The voucher might not cover entire tuition costs at a private school, and these schools are not required to provide the student with transportation.
While the supposed purpose of vouchers is to give students in failing districts a choice, other districts could qualify for vouchers with the approval of the local school board. Parents whose children attend private schools could lobby for vouchers to help defray tuition costs they already can afford.
One component of Proposal 1 will require teacher testing to ensure competency. This red herring is an attempt to take focus away from the many other flaws of the proposal - teacher testing should be implemented in the future through a separate proposal.
The passage of Proposal 1 would send the message that Michigan is giving up on public education. Even if some students can take advantage of vouchers, many students will be left behind in schools that will only become worse as money is drawn away from them via vouchers.
Instead of turning its back on public schools, the state should focus on its improvement. The public education system should be slowly adjusted, not totally scrapped in one vote.
