This Election Actually Showed Americans Still Love Their Public Schools
From the Bucks County Beacon
The election results were not great for fans of public education. Trump has promised to end the department of education and use federal money to impose MAGA priorities on public schools (Students must learn patriotism, declares the man who called the country a third world hell hole and a garbage can).
Yet there are some hopeful signs to be seen among the results. Many Americans may love Trump, but it turns out they also love their public schools and vote against policies and people who threaten them.
Vouchers
School vouchers come in a variety of flavors, but they are all policies designed to funnel public tax dollars to private schools. Voucher proponents insist that the idea is popular with Americans, and will cite their own poll numbers, but as with many polls, it’s all in how you ask the question. Ask “Should students be able to pick a school that fits them,” Americans say sure. But in poll after poll, when taxpayers are asked, “Should public taxpayer dollars be used to fund private schools,” they say no. No surprise.
If I ask you, “Should every child have a pony,” you’ll say yes. If I ask, “Should your money be used to buy a pony for the rich families in another city,” you are likely to be less enthusiastic.
That includes this poll in Pennsylvania, showing the majority of voters oppose school vouchers. Josh Shapiro, please take note.
Governor Shapiro should also note that school vouchers have only ever been implemented by legislators, sometimes over strong voter objections. But vouchers are implemented by legislatures because voters reject them. Every time. That record remains clean, as three states put vouchers on the ballot.