Election Day may be over, but pundits will likely mull the import of voter sentiment for weeks to come. True, this year’s election was less consequential than some. But voters made weighty decisions nonetheless, casting ballots with potentially far-reaching implications for K-12 education.
In North Carolina, school-construction bonds occupied a prominent place on a number of county ballots. And in Utah, a voucher referendum provided the backdrop for an eight million dollar showdown between the big-money teachers’ unions and the plucky parental supporters of educational freedom. Here’s a quick recap – and commentary – on the outcomes of these closely-watched contests.
As expected, voters in Charlotte-Mecklenburg County arrived at the polls prepared to support some serious spending: 68 percent backed a $516 million school-construction bond package. This was a happy reversal of fortune for school officials who experienced a stinging defeat with 2005’s $427 million bond. Not only was voter support substantial, it was also widespread, spanning both city and suburbs: in fact, only two out of 195 precincts opposed the bond.
Elsewhere in the state, bonds won big, with voters approving packages in Durham, Gaston, and Moore counties. In Macon County, voters shot down the local $42 million bond, following suspect behavior from the local school board.
What’s the forecast for taxpayer wallets? A tax increase to pay back debt is likely. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) Superintendent Peter Gorman wants swift repairs and construction, so the pressure will be on for county commissioners to fast-track borrowing. Calling the bond vote “a great day for kids,” Gorman indicated funds will go to add 704 classrooms and fix up schools. But the 2007 bond money won’t cover projected enrollments over the next decade, meaning CMS voters will likely face another bond in 2009. Start saving now.
In Utah’s closely watched school-choice battle, citizens voted decisively against vouchers. Referendum 1 faced long odds to begin with, but supporters had hoped a campaign featuring the merits of choice would sway public opinion. Alas, this was not to be. According to columnist George Will, teachers’ unions waged “an expensive and meretricious” campaign in Utah. The National Education Association infused more than three million dollars into the anti-voucher effort; donations from teachers’ unions in 20 states topped off the money pot. Such deep union pockets, coupled with a staccato drumbeat of fear-inducing propaganda, ultimately dealt voucher proponents a punishing defeat: 62 percent of Utah voters said “no,” with vouchers losing in every county in the state.
Utah’s referendum marks the first time in seven years that a voucher measure has appeared on a statewide ballot. In 2000, voucher proposals lost in Michigan and California; a total of 11 voucher initiatives have appeared on state ballots, all of them defeated. This is because vouchers – and the competition they beget – are anathema to the unions, eliciting hysterical rhetoric and prodigious spending every time.
What’s next? Utah’s pro-voucher group, Parents for Choice in Education, remains undeterred, vowing to “keep pushing” for change and reform; merit pay for teachers is next on their agenda. State legislators will likely steer clear of vouchers for the foreseeable future: Utah House Speaker Greg Curtis is emphatic about taking a break in 2008.
Is Utah’s loss just the sad coda to a protracted and inconsequential quest for educational freedom? Of course not. As the Alliance for School Choice pointed out: “A setback in one state is just that.” It’s fair to say vouchers don’t reign supreme at the ballot box, but that hasn’t kept them from transforming K-12 education in numerous localities across the country.
When it comes to school choice, the venue may change, but the fight continues apace. For now, the voters have spoken. But for the true believers, there’s always next year.