Letter to the Editor

The real attack on public school education

To the Editor:

The May issue of Brecksville Magazine included an article that alleged, “Extremists are now demanding that … their beliefs about sexuality” are to be promoted in schools. What schools? Implying that deviant sex, or even “CRT” for that matter, are subjects being taught in public schools is just plain wrong.

However, our public schools are under attack. Ohio’s public schools ranked among the top five in the nation in 2010. Now our schools rank around 20th.

But instead of fully funding them, our statehouse is starving them of tax dollars and giving that money to affluent Ohioans to send their kids to private schools. Most parents that receive Ohio’s universal vouchers have already been sending their kids to private school for years. The vouchers cost about $8400 per high school student, and $6165 per K-12 student, while Ohio’s spending per public school student averages only $4500 annually. Wouldn’t it make a lot more sense to take the voucher dollars and fix the public schools that need it?

Vouchers are going to blow a billion dollar hole in our state budget this year, while Cleveland and Akron schools are operating dangerously in the red and are being forced to drop subjects, teachers, and any extras they may have had.

The Vouchers Hurt Ohio coalition has introduced a lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality of the voucher scheme, and the Brecksville-Broadview Heights School District ought to join the over 200 other Ohio public school districts in their suit. You can get details at vouchershurtohio.com.

Debra Shankland

Fox Rest Dr., Brecksville ∞