Vouchers won’t let poor Idaho families afford private school. They’re for the rich | Opinion

Vouchers would just help the rich

Sen. Lori Hartog, R-Meridian, and Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, are again bringing forward a bill to provide $50 million in state-funded tax rebates for students who are enrolled in private schools. Basically saying, if one doesn’t use the public schools they shouldn’t have to pay for it.

I am just one of many Idaho residents with children no longer in the school system yet I pay more taxes than a large family of students. They get the per-child tax deduction. I don’t. I’m not using the tax funded school system. Can I get a rebate too?

The average tuition for K-12 private schools in Idaho is $8,980. Even with a $5,000 tax credit, very few low to mid-income families could still afford the remaining $3000 to $5000, so the rebate would mostly benefit the upper-income families that currently have children enrolled in private schools who obviously can already afford it. The old, the rich get richer, again, at taxpayer’s expense.

Robert D. Seymour, Boise

Slogans are designed to deceive

The slogan “money follows the student” sells voucher-style “school choice” funding.

Voucher-style funding isn’t public school funding. It funds personal choices. Public funding of non-public school choices isn’t proven to “advance the educational outcomes of ALL children,” as Mountain States Policy Center founder Chris Cargill, and others claim.

Day 1 of this Legislative Session, Cargill’s audience of “160+ legislators, lobbyists, citizens and business owners” may have swallowed the claim that “school choice” funding is a reform; it’s not. It’s not “for the benefit of ALL students,” like our community public schools have always striven to achieve. Returning the focus of funding to that goal would be a real reform.

Cargill proclaims public funds following privately-educated students creates “a more flexible system.” But it’s not a public system. It’s a non-public system paid for by the public. It completes the mission of — the slogan-turned-law — “No Child Left Behind,” which funded “[test-based] accountability, flexibility, and choice.” The outcome? Generations left behind. Flexibility? Of public money. Choice? It’s ours, through our representatives.

Stop falling for slogans. Tell your representatives that “money follows the student” ideology is unacceptable. Reject it. Fully fund our constitutionally-mandated SINGLE “system of common public schools.”

Victoria Young, Caldwell

When will we act on climate?

As Los Angeles burned for days on end, scientists made an announcement that 2024 was the hottest year on record.

With temperatures rising around the globe scientists are warning that the world has entered a dangerous new era of chaotic floods, storms and fires made worse by human-caused Climate Change.

The firestorms ravaging our country’s second-largest city are just the latest of extreme weather that is growing more furious as well as more unpredictable. Wildfires are highly unusual in Southern California in January, which is supposed to be the rainy season. The same is true for cyclones in Appalachia, where Hurricanes Helene and Milton tore through mountain communities in October.

Wildfires are burning hotter and moving faster. Storms are getting bigger and carrying more moisture. And soaring temperatures worldwide are leading to heat waves and drought, which can be devastating on their own.

Around the globe, extreme weather and searing heat killed thousands of people last year and displaced millions. In Europe, extreme heat contributed to at least 47,000 deaths in 2023. In the United States, heat-related deaths have doubled in recent decades.

“We’re in a new era now,” said former Vice President Al Gore, who has warned of the threats of Global Warming for decades. “These climate-related extreme events are increasing, both in frequency and intensity, quite rapidly.”

The question remains; when are we going to stop killing our planet from burning fossil fuels to power our homes, cars and industries?

Ron Sadler, Salmon

Child deaths too high

Almost 5 million children worldwide will likely die before age 5 this year, with malnourishment as the underlying cause of half these deaths. While violent conflict and disease contribute to this grim reality, proper nutrition can mean the difference between life and death for countless vulnerable children.

Nutrition for Growth (N4G) is a global partnership that channels resources toward proven nutrition programs. This funding opportunity only arises every four years, aligning with the Olympics, and will take place again in 2025.

I urge the Biden Administration to make a bold pledge to N4G as soon as possible and for Idaho Reps. Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher and Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch to advocate for this issue. Such a commitment will not only save lives but encourage other world leaders to follow our lead.

We must prioritize child survival.

Olivia Paulsen, Nampa

A very strange day

Jan. 20 is a day laden with a triple layer of irony. On that date, we honor Martin Luther King Jr., an icon of civil rights. On that date, we fly flags at half-staff to honor a former president of impeccable moral character whose presidential accomplishments are finally being recognized. And finally, on that date, we inaugurate a convicted felon, an adjudicated abuser of women, a man without discernible moral character, and a man whose primary ambition is dictatorial power, motivated by a desire for revenge.

Walt Gammill, Boise

Politician makes absurd claims

John is a really bad plumber because he cannot pay the accordion. This statement is absurd because what does John’s ability as a plumber have anything to do with his ability to play the accordion? Rep. Bruce Skaug’s statement that we need to “FIX” Idaho’s initiative process because of out-of-state money, is equally absurd. One does not relate in any way to the other.

Politicians always complain about out-of-state money. Politicians also don’t complain or take issue with out-of-state money donated to them. In checking with the Secretary of State’s Office I learned that Skaug received out-of-state donations from a company called Swedish Match, which sells vaping, tobacco and nicotine pouches. If out-of-state money is a problem, then let’s ban out-of-state campaign donations altogether. That should fix the problem.

Proposition 1 came about because over 90,000-plus registered voters, citizens of the state of Idaho felt that it was unfair, underhanded, immoral, wrong and unconstitutional that 170,00 registered voters, who are Idaho citizens, who are paying for an election, they cannot vote in, have been purposely been blocked out of the primary election to the benefit of one single political party.

Blair Moncur, Idaho Falls