The Truth About the School Voucher Initiative

Your son comes home from school and blurts out, "Mom, guess what? My teacher Mr. Franks has become a woman?!" You then call the school to find out that not only is it true, but you are also prevented from moving your son to another teacher's class. Then you put your child in a private "Christian" school only to find the same hideous scenario there as well. Unthinkable? Not if you live in California.

Because of a bill signed into law last year by Gray Davis, Governor of California and Chairman of the Al Gore for President CA Campaign, regulations are about to be adopted which will prevent all public schools from intervening when they find out that a teacher, or counselor, in any grade level (including kindergarten) has suddenly decided to dress as a transvestite or surgically become a transsexual. According to the pending regulations, the impact on the children is meaningless.* In fact, these regulations even apply to some religious and non-religious private schools as well!
It is no wonder why so many Californians this November will be seriously examining Proposition 38 (i.e., School Voucher Initiative). Prop. 38 will allow parents who decide to put their children in any accredited private schools to have a $4,000 scholarship to underwrite the cost of private education which the parents believe is best for their children. Parent's deciding…hmm…what a novel concept!

How Will Prop. 38 Impact Private Schools?

Some of you reading this article have probably heard some scary radio ads describing how Prop. 38 is going to subject private schools to dastardly government control and inhibit Christian schools from evangelizing. Nothing can be farther from the truth!

The truth: Prop. 38 provides unprecedented protection for all private schools in the state of California. Here's how. First, any and all future regulations of private schools by the state legislature will require a 3/4 vote of both houses of the state legislature. With regard to local governments, all local regulations would require a 2/3 majority vote and majority of qualified electors. (In addition, local regulations must not, among other things, unduly burden or impede private's schools or the parents of students, suppress private schools, or parents' freedoms to make decisions on whether the child attends a public or private school.) Most importantly, land use regulations would become virtually inapplicable to private schools - opening the door for an unparalleled explosion of new private Christian schools in churches and other facilities.

Now that the truth is out, perhaps Prop. 38 should be renamed, "Private School Protection Initiative". Maybe that's why the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) has openly endorsed this initiative.

But what about those private schools soon to be required by new regulations to hire homosexual, transvestite, and transsexual teachers at all grade levels? Prop 38 virtually rescinds application of all statutes and regulations to private schools, which were not in effect prior to January 1, 1999. So, without Prop. 38, we have outrageous assaults on children and families in public and private schools, both presently and easily in the future. With Prop. 38, we have a repeal of such assaults against private schools, strong protection for the future, and viable alternatives for parents with children still in public schools!

How Will Homeschoolers Be Affected?

Some well meaning, but misinformed, commentators have implied that Prop. 38 will result in new homeschooling laws restricting or possibly abolishing homeschooling in California.
The truth: First, courts have already held that the state may not completely circumvent the right of parents who are home schooling on religious grounds. Second, and more importantly, Prop. 38 protects all private schools in California from regulations, including the overwhelming majority of home schools which qualify as private schools under present state law. In fact, those homeschools able to be granted accreditation by a public or private agency (e.g., a Christian university, ACSI, etc.) could also qualify for the $4,000 scholarship. Many home schoolers may also use their voucher to enroll in an independent study program at a private school or a homeschool consortium on file as a private school.

Finally, portions not used for the private school, would be set aside in the state treasury and made available to be used as a college scholarship instead. So, if your private school only used $1,500 of the voucher, $2,500 would be set aside as a future college scholarship!

The Moral Ground

Some would like to allege that it is somehow immoral to receive government funding to educate their children. This criticism opens up some peculiarities of its own.

Do those honestly echoing that concern feel just as resolute in denying the receipt of Cal Grants for children striving to attend a private Christian college? With the exception of the grade levels, there exists no distinction.

Such contentions are also disturbing on a pre-college level. After all, when a parent enrolls their child in a public school, they are receiving much more than just "government funding". So what do we tell the many parents who cannot afford any alternative education? What do we tell the single parent who does not have the resources or confidence to homeschool? If school vouchers are not the answer for the millions of children trapped in public schools, than what other practical solution is there?

In answering this question, just remember - the chips on the table are not merely tokens easily snubbed…they're our children. And, for the foreseeable future, we are guaranteed to lose them by the millions unless the rules are changed in the parents' favor.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7

*Those wishing to order a free copy of these pending regulations or Proposition 38 can call the Pacific Justice Institute at (888) 305-9129.