kelly sloan
We’re weeks away from Americans practicing democracy, but Colorado is practicing democracy a little more than the rest of the country, thanks to our desire for direct democracy. This year, as in previous years, the ballot includes a long list of items asking voters to pursue a number of issues at once. The proliferation of ballot initiatives means that all the work that went into devising a system of representative government seems increasingly pointless, and in a dark mood, what a check on the whims of a referendum. or balance applies, but in any case it’s important what we have, and to paraphrase what someone qualified to speak on such matters once said: It may be the worst government system apart from everything else.
And to be fair, there are some questions that should be asked of the electorate as a whole. For example, amendments to state constitutions. The election standards for making such fundamental changes to a state’s final legal blueprint should be a little more stringent than they are, but reforms a few years ago have improved the system a bit. Ta. . And this year, even a proposed amendment to the ballot has been proposed.
Stay informed: Sign up for Daily Opinion in your inbox, Monday through Friday.
Amendment 80, colloquially known as the “School Choice Amendment,” reads: School choices include neighborhood schools, charter schools, and private schools. Homeschooling. Open enrollment option. And what about future innovations in education? ”
This is surprisingly simple: it doesn’t fundamentally change anything, it just secures existing fundamental rights in state law. Colorado is already a generally school choice-friendly state, with a correspondingly high standard of education and a large number of successful, well-run charter schools. In a free society, this measure would be completely uncontroversial.
So why are millions of dollars spent to defeat it?
Yes, those millions of dollars come primarily from teachers’ unions, which are far more interested in promoting egalitarian politics than they are in producing literate and educated students. Their disdain for the educational competition offered by charters, private schools, and other options is clear, and it’s not hard to see why.
Financial pressures are what keep many students in failing public schools. What if, in the unlikely event of a teacher union nightmare scenario, education policy Cthulhu, or a horrible voucher program? In other words, what if states allowed the dollars they allocate per student to be spent on the education of children and used in accredited schools? Yes, primarily in large urban centers to meet student needs. Students will be reassigned to private schools that are equipped to meet their requirements. why? This is because many parents want their children to receive the best possible education, free from extracurricular pressures that are more concerned with social leveling and acceptable politics than with the acquisition of knowledge.
Unfortunately, state law does not allow for a voucher system, and for that matter, the 80th Amendment does not provide for such an outpouring of common sense. However, the availability of charter school options is an acceptable and successful alternative that states have adopted, allowing parents who are dissatisfied with central school authorities to have access to curriculum, textbooks, and It gives us the option of continually lowering standards, discipline, and so on. Liquidity of funds.
So why should it be enshrined in the Constitution? Well, beyond officially recognizing the freedom of parents to choose their children’s schools (which should be enough), there’s no need to enshrine it in the Constitution. The fact is that organizations are spending millions of dollars on an exceptionally misleading campaign – an exception even in this era of exceptionally misleading campaigns – the 80th Amendment. We will continue our legislative efforts to push back educational options in our state. They introduced a bill last year and will do so again this year, and will do so every year until there is no competition and their monopoly over the rest of education is sealed.
Amendment 80 does not guarantee Colorado’s young people the benefits of an education voucher system, but while enlightened reform may be for another day, it does preserve choice and provide more It is acknowledged that high discipline and academic standards ensure opportunities to obtain advantages over schooling. Least common denominator approach.
Kelly Sloan is a political and public relations consultant and recovering journalist based in Denver.