Every time parents become so disappointed with public schools that they withdraw a child, it saves the state almost $3,000 per year. But those parents must still pay full taxes while paying full private school tuition or setting aside great amounts of time for home schooling. This is school choice, as much as we have.
It's like being allowed to buy any Ford or any other brand of car by paying two sticker prices for one car. I think Utahns deserve more of a choice in educating their children.If parents who chose alternate education were given a refundable tax credit of nearly two-thirds of Utah's cost of educating a child in government schools, more parents could be encouraged to switch. The savings would eventually cause a cut in Utah income taxes. At the same time, parents could find schools that teach basic skills, teach traditional values, are well-disciplined and safe and where parents would have a voice in how things should be done. These parents would still pay extra for school choice, but not nearly so much.
Private schools can also have football teams, marching bands and student officers. Home-school students can take a class or two in public schools under Utah's dual enrollment law and maybe even join the chess club.
Public school students, by realizing how much their friends pay for alternate education, would start losing their jailbird and disrupter attitudes, a big bonus for public schools. Instead of needing more truant officers to force public school attendance, enthusiasm would carry students back so they wouldn't lose all the good careers to their better-educated friends.
Why the state-run monopoly? Vote for legislators who favor school choice.
Steven C. Barrowes
Utah Coalition for Freedom in Education
Salt Lake City