Sara Stevenson, librarian at O. Henry Middle School in Austin, is already a hero of this blog for her relentless fight to stave off privatization of public schools. She writes articles critiquing legislation, she writes letters to the editor of local and national newspapers. I think she has had more letters published in the Wall Street Journal than anyone else I know. By now, she and the letters editor at the WSJ must be friends.
There is a clear way to think about where public money should go, whether it is called a voucher, an opportunity scholarship, a tax credit, or something else: Public money for public schools. Private money for private schools. If businesses want to help out private schools, they should make a contribution to them. If parents want to send their children to private or religious schools, that is their right, and they should pay for it, not expect to have the community pay for their choice.
I am old enough to remember when “school choice” was the battle cry of southern segregationists. How soon we forget. Or do we?
Here is Sara’s latest missive, written to the Austin Statesman-American, in response to the phony claim that “school choice” is the “civil rights issue of our time,” the goal being to get some public money diverted to support religious schools in Texas:
Sara writes:
It’s pretty rich for Bill McGee, the head of school for the Hill
Country Christian School of Austin, to frame the school choice
argument in terms of Civil Rights. Great marketing ploy. The school’s
website brags that 23% of its students are non-Caucasian and 19%
qualify for student aid. Contrast that to Austin ISD, where 60% of
students are considered low socioeconomic status, 74% are minorities,
27.6% are English Language Learners, and 10.1% are Special Education
students. Furthermore, the voucher amount does not come close to
paying the full tuition, which is $9,570 for K – 5th grade and more
for secondary.
McGee tries to persuade us that the “scholarships” donated by
businesses are not back door vouchers, but each “scholarship”
decreases the tax amount collected from businesses to fund public
schools. Each child removed from Austin public schools amounts to a
loss of over $7000.
Don’t be fooled by the rhetoric. House Bill 1043 and Senate Bill 4 are
just a tax break for families who are already send or are planning to
send their children to private schools. Furthermore, why should the
state support religious education? Public money belongs in public
schools. If schools, such as Hill Country Christian School want more
children of poverty, they must solicit donors directly rather than
suck tax dollars from state government coffers.
Sara Stevenson
Austin, Texas 78703
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Here here! In Pennsylvania, we beat back the voucher-mongers but we, too, have back door financing of private and parochial schools through our EITC (Educational Initiative Tax Credit) program. Up to 90 percent of a corporation’s donations are eligible for tax credits. This steals money from the public treasury that could go to public education and puts it in the pockets of non-public schools. Yes, Diane, reminds me of the segregationist south where public schools were closed (rather than integrate) and Christian Academies (all white) were eligible for state issued vouchers. Current privatization of education is the history we are doomed to repeat – that it is being done in the name of “civil rights” is just obscene. Thanks for fighting the good fight!
LikeLike
“I am old enough to remember when “school choice” was the battle cry of southern segregationists.”
Then you are certainly old enough to remember when “neighborhood schools!” was the battle cry of northern segregationists. If you’ve forgotten, here is the Pulitzer Prize-winning book to read (although at least one prominent critic says it is too quick to offer excuses for the racism): http://www.amazon.com/Common-Ground-Turbulent-American-Families/dp/0394746163
LikeLike
I’m old enough to start crying over all these battles.
LikeLike
I remember Tim and I am not in favor of neighborhood schools for that reason. I am in favor of community schools where we serve the whole child and we bring in the resources to try to ameliorate some of the effects of poverty.
LikeLike
When I sit in the offices of my state wide elected officials and bring up the subject of tax credits for businesses that donate to private/(public) schools, they look at me with a blank expression on their face and pretend that they don’t understand how allowing business owners to get a tax credit actually means that they get to decide which children in our communities will get well funded schools and which ones will not.
When I ask why businessmen should be allowed to decide where there education tax dollars are spent, politicians don’t have an answer. They change the subject
LikeLike
Great final question, Betsy! We need to start asking all the pro-privatization pols the same thing. Why should businesses be the only ones to decide where their education tax dollars are spent?
Why can’t others challenge the way any of their tax dollars are spent? Why should my tax dollars go to fund the MIC instead of supporting the commons in our country? Why should my tax dollars go to United Health Care and Humana instead of providing Single-Payer health care to all?
I wonder if there is a way to challenge this in court; I think the Supreme Court would have to tie itself in knots to allow only certain classes (i.e. businesses) to decide where their tax dollars go, while the rest of us serfs must pay up and shut up, no matter what.
LikeLike
And what about the separation of Church and State?
LikeLike
The justification is that the business is donating to the non-profit (religious or not) and merely getting a tax credit for it. Much like you get a tax deduction when you may a private contribution to a religious institution. And now, since corporations are people, I guess that’s how that is tied up with a pretty little ribbon.
LikeLike
The fact that educated is becoming privatized breaks my heart. I completely agree with what is written since here in North Carolina, it seems like the option for private schools is becoming more and more advertised. I hope her (and our) message is received loud and clear.
LikeLike
I am trying to extract some good out of Stevenson piece but I can’t seem to overcome some of her presuppositions. But first, let me ask what public money? Are we taking about the same money that “rich” parents are paying regardless of where their children end up going? It is as much of their money as it is public’s. You can’t have it both ways.
Moreover, a child removed from public schools amounts to a loss of $7000? Dang it my child is worth more than that. My child is priceless! I thought she was concerned about the children not the money. Now before you I get a response let me say that I completely understand the need for resources/money. Resources are essential. Human capital is priceless and I don’t believe for a second that attaching some market-value to my child will make this society better.
Also, I have studied the subject of religious education and I can assure you that no religious school seeks to subject itself to the State. If that is the case that you are not dealing with a truly religious school but a secular one using a “baptized” curriculum. Stevenson needs to do better than this and rethink her arguments.
LikeLike
No, the money paid in taxes, whether by rich or poor or whatever people, is the public’s money, not the person’s who paid it. The “rich” have no claim of ownership over tax money considering how little they pay in and how much they take out.
LikeLike
Dienne, agreed. The money paid in taxes must be used for public purposes, and no one can say, “I don’t want to pay taxes for public libraries, I buy my own books, give me back that part of my taxes.”
LikeLike
“Public” is synonymous with “all” otherwise it would not be public at all. The point is that “all” are a part of the process. You can’t exclude the “rich”. You have to show them that education is the greatest investment and that it delivers. This is not idealism. There is ample proof, anywhere you turn, that education brings about change or so does lack of it. The argument that the “rich” have no claim is disingenuous. I have yet to hear an argument from the “rich” that they are opposed to public libraries or hospitals that truly care for the people. Please don’t misunderstand me. It is easier for a camel to enter the eye of the needle than a rich man do the right thing. What is happening today is sad. Some, not necessarily “rich”, have learned that the best way to prosperity is through exploitation of taxpayer’s money. Moreover, they are using the government as the means to get there and yes that does translate into competition between truly “rich” and truly “corrupt” where the “poor” have nothing to gain.
LikeLike