A lawsuit is challenging Idaho’s school voucher law, and Republican Representative Stephanie Mickelsen writes in the Idaho Statesman to explain why she has signed onto the suit.
Last week, I added my name to a lawsuit challenging Idaho’s school voucher law in the state Supreme Court. To be clear, I don’t have a problem with school choice. I have a problem with the government spending my constituents’ money to create an unconstitutional, separate-but-unequal private school voucher — one that pits urban students against rural students, rich families against poor families and believers against non-believers.
I’m not alone.
The coalition of educators, former lawmakers, parents and constitutional experts joining this lawsuit stand with the more than 32,000 Idahoans who flooded the governor’s office in February with messages in opposition to House Bill 93, the bill that created vouchers in Idaho. Their message is simple: public money belongs in public schools.
The Idaho Constitution could not be clearer. Article IX, Section 1 directs the Legislature to “establish and maintain a general, uniform and thorough system of public, free common schools.” HB 93 does the opposite.
As a legislator representing Idaho Falls, my vote against vouchers during the legislative session couldn’t have been easier. Why would I even entertain the idea of pulling $50 million from our general fund to pay for completely unaccountable and fiscally irresponsible tax credits?
Unlike public schools, which are heavily regulated because they are paid for by taxpayers, the private schools that will benefit from HB 93 face virtually no oversight. No mandatory background checks for staff. No certification for teachers. No accreditation. No curriculum reviews. No spending reports. No report cards. And no obligation to accept every child, regardless of ability, income, race or religion.
Can you imagine if we held our public schools to the same dismally low standard? Yet voucher proponents call this educational “freedom.” What they really mean is freedom from responsibility to the 95% of Idaho children who attend our public schools.