Saxman’s choice pursuit on target

The News Virginian
Published: August 11, 2008

In an era when taboos have vanished, there remain third and fourth rails in American politics and opinion. Abortion and public education may yet be touched, but only with care lest their charged elements surge, their juice supplied by select leftist legions. Such people champion choice with regard to the former, but chafe at the concept with regard to the latter. On schools, the currents are losing energy, sapped by unusual suspects, such as the Rev. Al Sharpton, and ordinary thorns, such as Del. Chris Saxman, R-Staunton.
After having turned vouchers legislation into an annual ritual in futility, Saxman last month founded School Choice Virginia, a nonprofit group whose task is to boost awareness of school choice initiatives. Saxman has proposed tax credits for businesses and individuals who give money to foundations to provide scholarships for children whose parents are unable to afford alternatives, such as public charter, parochial or private schools. For five years, his bills have cleared the House only to languish in Senate committee.
Opponents argue that Saxman’s initiatives would drain money from public schools, struggling already in some parts of the commonwealth, our own included, to provide teacher pay competitive with states such as Pennsylvania. Saxman disputes this contention, saying his bills would not cut money to public schools and would slash expenses.
Saxman, it should be noted, is no opponent of public schools. He is a former teacher and sends his four children to public schools. Like Sharpton, who despairs the impact of failing public schools on low-income minorities, Saxman contends that the luxury of choice in education ought not to be limited to the affluent. Saxman’s call is for “the kinds of opportunities where every student has the best chance at success – regardless of parental income – be that public, private, charter or home schooling.”
That sounds like a sanguine argument, like advocating for peace and justice. Who opposes this? Still, even as many Democrats step to Saxman’s side, resistance remains thick as bedrock, founded on the impermeable core of fallow arguments. Fewer students in public schools would strengthen not weaken them, particularly considering that those many likely to opt for alternative education would figure to be students on the lower rather than upper rungs of the achievement ladder.
Opponents of vouchers dismiss Saxman’s claims to the contrary and fret over the prospect of reduced public school funding, but why should we? Virginia’s direct aid to public schools has increased by 45 percent since 2000-01 to $6.4 billion this school year, but high school graduation rates decreased from 79.3 percent in 2003-04 to 77 percent in 2006-07, according to the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics. More money for traditional public schools does not translate to better performance in the classroom. Those who insist otherwise accept a myth and perpetuate it.
Saxman’s ideas do not promise to repair public education but neither will it be harmed. Principally, the issue is about parents being given latitude to determine the best course for their children. The delegate’s vision, one that he has doggedly pursued through five years of Senate rebuffing, is for those who can afford it to voluntarily invest their money in the creation of more education opportunities for those who lack the means. This strikes us as being precisely in keeping with the American spirit of philanthropy and free enterprise.
It is no wonder that Sharpton and others of his political persuasion support the concept. The real question is, why should anyone oppose it, except for ulterior motives? We urge Saxman’s fellow lawmakers to give him and School Choice Virginia a fair hearing, both in adherence to the principles of individual liberty upon which our country was founded and for the good of those currently proscribed from pursuing alternatives available only to a privileged few.