Editorial: N.C. Legislature's pre-election voucher ploy reveals failed support for public schools

CBC Editorial: Monday, Sept. 9, 2024; #8958

The following is the opinion of Capitol Broadcasting Company.

A day after Gov. Roy Cooper and Democratic legislators urged legislative leaders “not to spend another dime” on private school vouchers those Republican leaders announced a deal -- to be voted on this week -- to give nearly half-a-billion in taxpayer dollars to non-needy families for those vouchers.

The legislature’s private school voucher program is an unaccountable waste of hundreds of millions of dollars. Any “deal” that legislative leaders have reached has nothing to do with education and more to do with elections.

Rather than talking about doing what’s needed to appropriately support the state’s public school students and provide for those who teach them, legislative leaders are undoubtedly seeking a gubernatorial veto and a fresh chance to appeal to the religious right.

Should that be the case, Cooper and true advocates for public education should seize the opportunity to make it a debate about honoring North Carolina’s constitutional mandate that the state provide EVERY child with access to a quality education. They should talk about doing what is best for ALL school kids and their futures.

Moreover, it is a platform to highlight the waste and lack of accountability of the legislature’s current private school voucher give away. (Please note -- We support responsible and accountable voucher programs to help those most in need and without other alternatives to receive a quality education).

The timing of the legislative leader’s action now reveals this is little more than a vote-buying scheme, focused particularly on building support of the religious right’s private schools -- their patrons and backers. The numbers don’t lie.

More than half of families that will get taxpayer-funded voucher money make over $115,400, including 18% who make over $259,000 per year.

Of the 200 most-voucher-funded private schools (they received 75% of the total funding distributed last year), according to the Public School Forum of N.C.: 90% are religiously affiliated; 89% discriminate in admissions based on faith, disability or sexual orientation; fewer than half are accredited; 2% require state teaching certification (a requirement for ALL public school teachers).

Further, North Carolina’s private school voucher program stands out as one of the most irresponsible in the nation. There is little accountability concerning the quality of education the taxpayer-funded students receive, the achievement of those students, whether classes regularly meet or even if students show up.

While the legislature’s private school voucher program ranks at the top for lack of accountability, its support of public schools ranks among the worst in the nation -- About $5,000 less than the national average and ranking 47th among all states.

Voters can see through our legislative leaders’ desperate gimmicks to gain affection for a narrow segment of the electorate while neglecting the greater needs of ALL North Carolinians.

They should keep in mind those who act to truly support ALL the state’s students and educators – not cynically promote narrow ideological agendas -- as they cast their ballots in this election.