Vouchers Are A Private Schools Bailout Scheme
Republicans love some forms of welfare. They support welfare and government handouts that benefit Republican constituencies and the wealthy. For example, the federal government doles out $20 billion in subsidies to the fossil fuels industry every year. Farm subsidies are also very generous. In 2020, 40% of farm income came from federal subsidies due to Trump’s failed trade war with China.
Another form of welfare that Republicans support are private school vouchers. They want the taxpayers to bail out failed private right wing Christian schools and subsidize educational efforts aimed at producing more Republicans. The taxpayers shouldn’t be required to prop up the failed private right wing schools.
The major argument that Republicans make to support their welfare scheme is that poor children in inner cities will benefit from vouchers. The reality is that most kids who benefit from vouchers have never attended a public school in the first place. “We’re not losing kids from our schools [to vouchers],” says Fort Wayne, Indiana Superintendent Wendy Robinson. “We’re now just having the state pay for kids who were never going to come here anyway.”
Another false talking point from the right is that their private schools are superior to the public schools. In the last few years, well documented studies in Louisiana, Washington, D.C. and Ohio indicated that poor students do not see improved test scores from attending private schools. As a matter of fact, students’ scores tended to decline.
Another problem with the Christian right’s private school bailouts is that they are expensive and the costs are out of control. A study was recently issued that indicated that Arizona’s school voucher program could cost the state over $943 million, with over 53% of all new K-12 education spending going towards only 8% of Arizona students.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs released the following statement in response:
“The universal school voucher program is unsustainable. Unaccountable school vouchers do not save taxpayer money, and they do not provide a better education for Arizona students. We must bring transparency and accountability to this program to ensure school vouchers don’t bankrupt our state. I’m committed to reforming universal vouchers to protect taxpayer money and give all Arizona students the education they deserve.”
Closer to home, private school vouchers will most likely be on the ballot in Nebraska on November 5. In 2023, the Republicans passed a massive private school bailout that they falsely labeled “school choice.” This bill would have given the wealthy huge tax breaks if they contributed to a scholarship slush fund for private schools. The aim of the legislation was to fund right wing Christian schools and defund the public schools.
The reality is that we already have “school choice” in Nebraska. Parents are free to send their kids to private schools — on their own dime. However, many of them believe they are entitled to taxpayer money. If private schools wants to raise money, they should hold a raffle or a bake sale — like many public schools do.
Another idea would be for the wealthiest right wing families to fund so-called private “school choice.” The Ricketts and Peed families are extremely wealthy and they spend millions of dollars every election cycle on candidates. However, they are more interested in tax cuts and banning abortions. If Nebraska’s wealthiest families don’t want to bail out private schools, why should the taxpayers be required to pay?
In response to that legislation, teachers spearheaded a petition campaign to put the repeal of the private school bailout on the ballot in November 2024. The petition campaign proved to be highly successful and the teachers got substantially more signatures than they needed. The private school bailout looked like it was headed for defeat this fall.
On the last day of the Nebraska legislative session in April, Nebraska Republicans jammed through a controversial “end run” bill (LB 1402) to spend $10 million per year on private school scholarships. Under the bill, the 2023 private school bailout was repealed and the referendum was canceled.
In passing LB 1402, the Nebraska Republicans voted to silence the voters. For the first time in Nebraska history, the legislature passed a bill to deny citizens their right to vote on an issue that was put on the ballot through a successful referendum petition by the people.
The teachers were defiant. They promised that the battle over the private school bailout wasn’t over. They have now launched a new petition drive and referendum aimed at repealing the latest version of the right wing private schools bailout.
The Support Our Schools campaign has until July 17 to gather enough signatures for the ballot initiative aimed at repealing LB 1402. They’ll have to gather valid signatures from 5% of Nebraska’s registered voters and gather 5% in at least 38 of Nebraska’s 93 counties. The current petition language would repeal the section of LB 1402 creating the new version of the private school bailout or voucher program.
I would urge you to seek out a Support Our Schools events and sign their petition.
You can find them online at:
On Facebook at:
The very future of our public schools is now on the line. The $10 million that will initially be spent on private schools is just the seed money. If they win, the MAGA Republicans plan to substantially increase spending on this right wing welfare program.
We have reasons to be optimistic about November. In the May 14 Nebraska primary, Biden continued to out perform Trump. Biden got 90% of the vote and Dean Phillips got 10% of the vote. Phillips has endorsed Biden.
In contrast, Trump got 80% of the vote. Haley hasn’t endorsed Trump and probably won’t endorse him. Trump’s under performance continues. Trump can’t win the presidential election with 80% of the GOP vote in November. He needs the high 90s.
The most consequential protest movement in US politics today may be the millions of Republican primary voters continuing to pull the lever for someone other than Trump. A significant minority of Republicans have rejected Trump and MAGA. The current version of the GOP is simply too radical for millions of normal Republicans.
Be confident going forward. Take nothing for granted. Keep working hard.
It’s America or Trump. Choose wisely.