Voters like their public schools a lot more than Republicans thought
GLENN DAIGON for The Progressive
To the extent that conservative candidates followed that script,
voters differed widely in their response. Although Greg Abbott in Texas and Ron
DeSantis in Florida, both harsh critics of public schools and proponents of
school vouchers, won their reelections handily, Democratic incumbents Tony
Evers in Wisconsin and Gretchen Whitmer in Michigan successfully defended their
seats with strong, pro-public education platforms.
Where voters had the opportunity to vote directly on education
issues, however, they were unanimous in their support for public schools. State
ballot initiatives strengthening public education passed in all regions of the
country.
EDITOR'S NOTE: I worked with Glenn when he was the lead strategist researcher at the Laborer's Union headquarters in DC. - Will Collette
One of the most ambitious ballot initiatives was Colorado's Proposition FF. The measure proposed reducing income tax deduction amounts for those earning $300,000 or more and allocating the revenue saved to fund free meals to all students in Colorado public schools. The measure also increased wages for school employees who prepare and serve food.
"Voters understand the importance of making sure Colorado
kids can continue to get the meals they need for improved health, better
grades, higher attendance, and increased graduation rates," said Marc
Jacobson, CEO of Hunger Free Colorado, a nonprofit advocacy
group.
Conservatives disagreed.
"This is a really stupid idea," Jon Caldera, president
of the Independence Institute, a libertarian
think tank, commented when
interviewed by PBS. "This proposal is, 'Hey, let's get the rich guys to
buy our kids' lunch.'"
But Colorado voters voted for free school lunch: as of this
writing, with 97 percent of the vote counted, almost 56 percent voted in
favor.
Massachusetts Question 1,
another progressive ballot measure, proposed an additional tax of 4 percent for
incomes over $1 million, dedicating this new revenue toward public education,
roads and bridges, and public transportation.
It had the support of top Democrats like Senators Elizabeth
Warren and Ed Markey, as well as Governor-elect Maura Healey.
"Long before the pandemic, Massachusetts needed new
investments in our transportation and public education systems,"
spokespersons for Raise Up Massachusetts, a coalition of
community organizations, told the
Fall River Reporter. "These investments are needed now more than ever to
lift up our economy for everyone and to ensure Massachusetts remains a great
place to live, work, and raise a family."
Question 1 passed, garnering 52 percent of
the vote.
Two ballot proposals went before New Mexico voters. Constitutional Amendment 1 proposed
to increase state spending on early childhood education and public schools from
oil and gas revenues. It was estimated that the measure, if passed, would
provide hundreds of millions in additional funding for public schools.
"New Mexico has a unique opportunity to lead the country by
demonstrating how states can provide permanent revenue streams for early
childhood education without raising taxes," said Kimberly
Robson, COO of the Save The Children Action Network.
New Mexico citizens also voted on Bond Question 3.
This measure would issue up to almost $216 million in general obligation bonds
to make capital improvements for higher education, special schools, and tribal
schools.
Voters approved both ballot measures by wide margins.
Also on the ballot was West Virginia Amendment 4.
It would have amended the West Virginia Constitution to require rules and
policies adopted by the West Virginia Board of Education to be submitted to the
legislature for review, approval, amendment, or rejection.
Supporters asserted it would hold the board, and the public
education system it oversees, accountable to the people of West Virginia
through their elected officials. Others had a different take. Conservative backers also
saw the board as being too passive in addressing how race was taught in
classrooms and lacking enthusiasm for "school choice" programs.
"It could change the direction of public education every
two years, when you have a new legislature coming in; that's not what you
want," said Dale Lee,
President of the West Virginia Education Association. "In a public school
system, you want continuity, you want to have experts making decisions about
public education, and the experts or the educators in the field, not the
legislators who are coming in at all different aspects of life."
Voters supported Lee's position, voting down the amendment by a fourteen-point margin.
Other public education ballot initiatives voted on included:
·
California Proposition 28.
This initiative required increased spending on art and music education for all
K-12 California public schools funded through the general fund.
Supporters argued that
only one in five schools have dedicated teachers for arts and music programs.
This easily passed by
a more than three-to-two margin.
·
A statewide,
nonbinding, "advisory question" on the Idaho ballot asked voters if
they "approved" of the state legislature directing more than $410 million annually to
public education and career training. The referendum passed by
an almost four-to-one margin.
While it's far from clear that the results of the midterm elections will persuade Republican candidates to try a different playbook for education, there was little confusion about where voters stood.
© 2021 The Progressive
GLENN DAIGON is a Washington, D.C.-based reporter. He has worked in the labor movement for over twenty-four years as an opposition researcher and is a graduate of Oberlin College. Glenn’s writings specialize in ongoing social issues.
