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Stealing from the Middle
Class
to Give to the Poor
Education/Nancy Salvato |
April 29, 2005
- I don't often find myself so angry about an opinion
expressed in a piece of writing that I have to respond. It does happen every
once in awhile, though, and so today I must write a rebuttal to Kathleen
Loftus's piece,
Leaving Kids Behind in Illinois. Let me begin by saying that I
vehemently disagree with the views expressed in her Op Ed, so much so that I
might propose Illinois consider legislation that would actually make it a
law NOT to implement Robin Hood dispersal of education funds.
Ms. Loftus actually had the audacity to call Illinois Representative Tom
Cross a "whiner" because he criticized Randy Dunn's (acting State
Superintendent of ISBE) decision to divert more federal funds to less
affluent schools. How dare she impose a Socialist agenda in this Capitalist
country of ours!
I live in a good school district and my tax dollars should go to keeping it
that way. I work very hard, sometimes 16 hours a day to try to get ahead. I
CHOSE to purchase a previously neglected smaller house, with a yard that
hadn't been maintained in a decade, a carpet that needs replacing, a garage
door that's warped, trees that need to be cut down, windows that leak, and
an assorted list of things that need attention because this is a good
neighborhood with good schools. I don't have the wealth of most of my
neighbors. I do however live in a community which has a lot to offer. I've
accepted that tradeoff.
What, then, gives the Illinois Board of Education the right to disperse more
federal funds to school districts with less local tax dollars? Why do I have
any less right to that money than anyone else? Do I deserve less because I
work hard and sacrifice in many areas of my life to have what I have? I
think not.
As a matter of fact, I would like to earmark exactly where my tax dollars
go. Many states have referendums allowing people to vote regarding tax
increases for public education. I'd like the right to choose where I want a
percentage of education funding to be spent. I am not suggesting that I can
decide the uses for 100% of the money. But I want to decide where part of
the money should be dispersed.
Advocates of school choice have put forth many suggestions on how reform
should be implemented. Some states distribute school vouchers, and a portion
of education dollars earmarked for the public schools can be transferred to
independent education providers. But there are a lot of strings attached
when public money goes to private institutions. Usually the education
provider loses some autonomy in the way the product is delivered.
Eventually, private could become public.
Tuition Tax Credits are another option but money that is earmarked for other
public services, like the fire or police departments might get less funding
as a result. This might not be in everyone's best interest. Assuring tax
credits won't significantly cut into a town's financial resources means that
not everyone will be given the opportunity to access independent education
providers. Low income families must depend on tax scholarships generated by
donations from wealthy benefactors.
Allowing tax payers to ear mark a percentage of their education dollars to
go to private schools would significantly cut down the cost of accessing
education alternatives. What was once out of the reach of many people would
now be obtainable. Competition for tax dollars would reform public schools
and force them to meet the needs of the students they serve.
It's been said time and time again that pumping more money into failing
schools does not reform the problems. There is more at work in a school that
functions well than the amount of money available to the district. It is an
insult to good teachers and parents who are involved in their children's
lives to credit student performance solely to education dollars.
Funds should be distributed based on the number of pupils and the number of
"special services" needed by individual students. Just because one school
has more local tax dollars doesn't mean that school isn't entitled to their
fair share of the pie. If everyone adopted the Socialist Robin Hood
philosophy then there would be no reason for those in our society to
excel…the benefits would all be the same. Oh, that's right, utilizing the
lowest common denominator is the cornerstone of the liberal agenda.
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