The irony of the ‘Idaho way’ when it comes to school vouchers for private education
Idaho’s Republican legislature hates public assistance programs. These political leaders and their supporters have no problem ignoring the needs of lower income Idahoans. Whether the struggle is affording housing or accessing medical care or supporting a family on Idaho’s $7.25 minimum wage, their reaction to others’ situations remains the same.
“They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.”
“They just have to work harder.”
“If they improved their skills, they’d make better wages.”
Remember how in 2019 Rep. Barbara Ehardt penned a letter to Boise State University’s incoming president Dr. Marlene Tromp? Rep. Ehardt and 27 Republican representatives demanded that equity programs for underserved students be eliminated to curb rising tuition costs at BSU. Those Republican leaders stated that the “Idaho Way” did not use taxpayer money to give special treatment to select groups of students.
Based on our Republican politicians’ previous claims, House Bill 215 contradicts their own rhetoric. The bill’s backers intend to use an ongoing $5 million from the general fund to provide scholarships for students who have attended public school in the previous year. Eight-hundred students will receive $6,041 or 90% of the amount that Idaho currently spends per student ($6,713). Parents can use our taxpayer money to offset the cost of tuition at a private school, including private religious schools. While the “Idaho Way” did not include spending taxpayer money for social programs targeting underserved students in 2019, Idaho’s 2021 legislature advocates spending our tax money on schools integrating religious indoctrination into the curriculum.
Read between the lines of HB215:
- $5 million will provide government subsidized scholarships to 800 (0.003%) of Idaho’s roughly 305,000 public school students.
- Scholarships are awarded to the previous year’s public school students.
- Current private school students need not apply.
- Students will not qualify once they receive their first scholarship.
HB215 ignores rural Idaho:
- 22 rural counties have no private schools
- 16 rural counties have private schools
- Six of these counties lack private schools serving grades 9-12.
Low-income Idahoans, struggling to pay for life’s necessities are left out:
- Parents must contribute $4,000 in addition to the $6,041 scholarship to send their child to Bishop Kelly High School.
- Private schools and Idaho’s charter schools aren’t required to provide transportation and nutritional services.
- Parents working low-wage jobs cannot afford to provide lunch or transport their children.
Ironically, the people criticizing programs for underserved students and subsidies for low-income families are now advocating educational welfare in Idaho. The “Idaho way,” “school choice” and “funding follows the student” advocates really mean Idaho pays their way, so they get their choice.
“They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and pay for private school themselves.”
“They need to work harder to pay for tuition.”
“If they improved their skills, they’d make enough money to pay the private school tuition.”
Idaho’s constitution states, “…it shall be the duty of the legislature of Idaho, to establish and maintain a general, uniform and thorough system of public, free common schools.” Idaho contributes $6,713 of state tax money to cover the cost of educating each public school student. That money goes to the traditional public or charter school of the parent’s choosing. Idaho’s legislature refuses to do its job because 92 of Idaho’s 115 school districts require supplemental levies to make up the difference between the state’s contribution and the real cost of educating Idaho’s students.
Until our Republican legislators live up to their responsibility of fully funding Idaho’s free common public schools, passing HB215 to give 0.003% of Idaho’s public school students special treatment amounts to a dereliction of their duty.