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'Contempt of court, contempt of kids' Voucher scheme would divert tax dollars to private and religious schools
Feb. 16, 2006 A new $400 million voucher scheme pushed by Gov. Pataki shows "contempt of court and contempt of kids," a broad coalition of parents and educators says in blasting his ploy to divert tax dollars to private, religious and for-profit entities. A coalition of parents, educators and fiscal watchdogs said that "under the guise of tuition tax credits, the governor has concocted a backdoor voucher scheme that would in effect divert tax dollars to religious and private schools, for-profit and unaccredited tutors or even fly-by-night operations ... while defying the state's court-mandated responsibility of providing all children with a sound, basic education." Those speaking out against the voucher scheme include the NYS PTA; the Campaign for Fiscal Equity; New York State United Teachers; the Civil Service Employees Association; the NYS League of Women Voters; the NYS School Boards Association; the NYS Council of School Superintendents; the NYS Association of School Business Officers; National Education Association of NY; the Fiscal Policy Institute; the School Administrators Association of NYS; and the Alliance for Quality Education. The backdoor voucher scheme would in effect "launder" some $400 million in tax dollars through a so-called tuition tax credit, resulting in a windfall particularly for those making up to $90,000 who have students in religious and private schools. The selective tax break would range up to $500 per child in districts with one or more schools in need of improvement according to federal law. NYSUT researchers note it would primarily benefit those now paying tuition at private and religious schools. A Trojan horse "The plan is a Trojan horse of back-door vouchers that would drain $400 million in resources that should be used to fulfill the state's promise to provide all children with a sound, basic education," declared NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi. The NYSUT president said that with the state under court order to provide fairly for all students, the ploy "is nothing less than complete contempt for New York 's courts. And it shows contempt for the thousands of children who are waiting for that promise to be upheld. Instead, the governor is weaving together selective discounts for those in religious and private schools." Eager to tap the public monies earmarked in Pataki's proposal, a well-financed lobbying front composed of religious and private schools was scheduled to stage an Albany rally of students and adults on Feb. 14. Critics say the voucher proposal seems particularly cynical given its timing. A year ago Feb. 14, state Supreme Court Justice Leland DeGrasse dispatched a valentine to all children in underperforming New York city schools, affirming that every child deserves a 'sound, basic education' and ordering the state to guarantee the right to quality public education for kids who have been shortchanged. Gov. Pataki has resisted complying and is appealing the ruling, yet now is pressing to divert $400 million in tax dollars to subsidize religious or private school tuition. "For poor parents in struggling schools, this proposal is nothing more than a shell game," said NYSUT Executive Vice President Alan Lubin in legislative testimony last week. "The state Supreme Court ruling was the equivalent of saying: 'Every child deserves a well-balanced, nutritious meal.' The governor not only is resisting that, he is in effect saying, 'Let them eat cake.'" In an attempt to broaden the plan's appeal, Pataki recently declared it could also be applied to for-profit test prep or tutors, music lessons, even summer camp. But the tax giveback in practice would favor those with resources, and would be daunting to access for the state's poorest families, analysts say: • To get the maximum, a family would need to have the resources to spend $500 per child up front before seeking the tax credit. • Students in underperforming schools are already guaranteed free tutoring under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, underscoring that the primary beneficiaries of the plan would be those with the resources for the full freight of private or religious tuition. The backdoor voucher plan defines "tutoring" as anything not offered by a direct relative, leaving it open to "cronyism and profit-making," said Lubin. Many unmet needs The United Federation of Teachers, representing teachers and school staff in New York City , noted in its legislative testimony that $400 million could address so many unmet needs of school children, including reduced class sizes, full-day pre-K and updated science labs. Instead of a backdoor voucher scheme, "better choices can and must be made," UFT President Randi Weingarten noted in the testimony. According to the most recent state data, religious and private schools educate only 14.6 percent of the total state enrollment. "When are we going to be concerned about the other 85 percent of our children?" Iannuzzi asked. "The real way to improve the public school system is for the governor to end further litigation and come to the Legislature to negotiate a solution providing a sound, basic education for all our children." — Deborah Hormell Ward |
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