McClaughry: Exterminating parental choice in Vermont

By John McClaughry

Vermont’s long history of parental choice in education will come to a crashing end in 2028 if a bill designed and backed by the “Educational Equity Alliance” makes it through the Legislature.

What was informally known around Montpelier as “the Public Education Blob” has now become the “Educational Equity Alliance.” Its four components are the Vermont School Boards Association, the Vermont Superintendents Association, the Vermont Principals Association, and the biggest gorilla, the 13,000 member Vermont-NEA.

John McClaughry

John McClaughry is vice president of the Ethan Allen Institute.

All four of the EEA member organizations staunchly oppose parents being allowed to send their children to independent schools at public expense. What do parents know? Only credentialed public school educators and bureaucrats know what’s good for these children! If parents don’t like the offerings of local government school monopoly, they can speak up at school board meetings. When last year some in Virginia did just that, the National School Boards Association demanded that Attorney General Merrick Garland dispatch the FBI to collect the names of objectors.

Under Vermont law dating to 1869, the parents of those pupils in tuition towns (now totaling 6,063) have the choice to direct the school board to tuition their children to public or approved independent schools, in or out of the state. Half of these pupils attend independent, and half public, schools. “Approved” means that the independent school must be comparable in curriculum, fiscal management and observance of civil rights to ordinary public schools. Until last year, tuition town parents could not choose sectarian independent schools like Bishop Rice High School in South Burlington and Good Shepherd School in St. Johnsbury.

But last June a U.S. Supreme Court decision (Carson v. Makin) held that if a state (Maine) tuitioned pupils to nonsectarian independent schools, as in Vermont, refusing to tuition children to sectarian independent schools constitutes a violation of their right to free exercise of religion. Thus parents in tuition towns can choose a faith-based approved independent school to receive public tuition payments. Education Secretary Daniel French so advised the towns before the current school year.

The public school organizations have never been happy about tuitioning, but had no choice but to accept it for purely practical reasons in a state with many small rural towns that couldn’t support a K-12 public system. But now, alarmed by the State’s required compliance with the Court decision, the four organizations created the EEA to persuade the Legislature to end tuition payments to any independent school. More than half of its 82-page bill (S.66) is devoted to exterminating the concept of “approved independent school” from Vermont’s education statutes altogether.

There are some minor exceptions, such as schools for special education pupils, now insensitively labelled “therapeutic schools”, and Career Technical Education centers operated under contract by independent schools. There is also a politically necessary (and judicially suspect) carveout for the four nonsectarian academies that serve communities that have no public high schools: St. Johnsbury Academy, Lyndon Institute, Burr & Burton Academy and Thetford Academy. (They can be brought under full state control later on.)

The EEA bill requires the school boards in tuition towns — not the parents — to designate three or fewer favored schools for their pupils to attend: public schools outside of the district, tech centers, and the therapeutic schools. Pupils now attending other currently approved independent schools can continue in those schools until 2028, or until the school board imposes designation, whichever happens sooner.

The EEA is buoyed by the fact that the Vermont Legislature is firmly controlled by Democrats in no small measure thanks to the political support of the Vermont NEA, and now has little fear of the veto power of a Republican governor. Its bill is sponsored by 11 senators, all Democrats.

As Vermont Digger education reporter Peter D’Auria writes, “For some [independent schools] the loss of that [tuition] money could pose an existential threat. “ Just so, and the Educational Equity Alliance, deploring the idea of provider competition and customer choice, will certainly not lament their disappearance.

This retreat from Vermont’s long practice of parental choice for their children in tuition towns will be a disgraceful victory for a public school monopoly that puts its own interests far ahead of the interests of the pupils that Vermont education is supposed to serve.

It may not succeed. Parents in tuition towns are mounting a full-throated defense of their choice of schools that they believe do a better job of educating their children. They cherish their opportunity to choose what’s best for their children, and they know what happened to Goliath.

John McClaughry is vice president of the Ethan Allen Institute.

Images courtesy of Public domain and John McClaughry

58 thoughts on “McClaughry: Exterminating parental choice in Vermont

  1. I ONCE WAS A NORMAL PERSON

    I used to think I was pretty much just a regular person, but I was born white, into a two-parent household which now, whether I like it or not, makes me privileged, a racist, and responsible for slavery.

    I am a fiscal and moral conservative, which by today’s standards, makes me a fascist because I plan, budget, and support myself.

    I went to school for 19 years and have always held a job and played by the rules and paid my taxes. But I now find out that I am not here because I earned it, but because I was “advantaged”.

    I am heterosexual, which according to gay folks, now makes me a homophobic.

    I am not a Muslim, which now labels me as an infidel.

    I am older than 70, making me a useless dinosaur who doesn’t understand Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Snapchat.

    I think, and I reason, and I doubt most of what the ‘mainstream’ media tells me, which makes me a Right-wing conspiracy nut.

    I am proud of my heritage and our inclusive culture, making me a xenophobe.

    I believe in hard work, fair play, and fair reward according to each individual’s merits, which today makes me an anti-socialist.

    I believe our system guarantees freedom of effort not freedom of outcome or subsidies which must make me a borderline sociopath.

    I believe in the defense and protection of my nation for and by all citizens, now making me a militant.

    I am proud of our flag, what it stands for, and the many who died to let it fly, so I stand during our National Anthem – so I must be a radical.

    Funny – it all took place after this fellow from Hawaii took over the White House.

    If all this nonsense wasn’t enough to deal with, now I don’t even know which toilet to use!

    GOD BLESS ALL OF US NORMAL PEOPLE

  2. Remember, we are dealing with Marxists.
    They think the government owns your kids, they think the government owns *everything*.
    And that the government is not there to serve us- but yet we exist to serve the government.

    When you understand Marxism it makes it all easier to understand where they are coming from.
    They are trying to transition us from what we were, what we are supposed to be, into their Marxist Utopia.
    They don’t care one bit about what YOU want, it’s entirely about what their God, The Government wants.

  3. OMG. A civil, non-patronizing post from J Eshelman. Sorry, you deserve that.

    Clearly, I have no knowledge on education law. But, I’m great at not accepting partisan BS.

    I had to re-read McClaughry to respond to your post. It’s worse than I thought. He seems to condone a lot of selfish parental whining while promoting opportunities for their children that public school children do not have. Like attending out of state ‘better’ schools at VT taxpayer expense. Outrageous.

    First of all do you know the cost of public education per child per year?

    I’m not understanding what you are saying about the costs. Tell me if I have this wrong. So, the cost for K-6 in Westminster is $26,000 per student, per year? To attend an independent higher grade school ‘of their choice’ they receive $17,278. Parents want ‘THEIR’ money! And the town wants benefits too? Are you kidding me? Are any of the independent schools mentioned in your area? Parents move to Westminster to take advantage of their great school choice program?

    Are you bragging about that while city children receive a deficient education, which we both acknowledge? I’m shaking my head.

    I am certainly not advocating for the ‘worseless trophy’ but, you seem to be, but only for city children without choice.

    Vouchers don’t seem like the best answer. Creating a better educational program does. Seems like supporters of vouchers are whining about their children losing opportunities which ALL VT children do not have.

    I’m not seeing that the legislature is the enemy here. It seems more like whiny parents.

    I’m willing to change mind, if a more convincing explanation can be made.

    The only thing I can agree on here is that the school budget is enormously bloated and parents/children are not being well served.

    I’ve never examined this issue. I appreciate being more informed about it.

    • Re: “Clearly, I have no knowledge on education law. But, I’m great at not accepting partisan BS.”

      The how do you know whether or not what I said was BS?

      • Lol….because I know everything that why!….

        and just because you have actual facts, experience,rational thought, critical thinking and a blatant, flagrant example every year of public educational failure at astronomical high expanse doesn’t make you right! My admitted, uninformed opinion matters more!

        That’s why! Too funny….

        No give me that shiny trophy for winning this debate and do what I say! So say the indoctrinated and propgandized populace obese from eating too much CNN. VPR and Vt Digger.

    • Re: “Vouchers don’t seem like the best answer. Creating a better educational program does. Seems like supporters of vouchers are whining about their children losing opportunities which ALL VT children do not have.”

      If some children don’t have those voucher opportunities, why not let all children have them?

        • They would go wherever they choose to go.

          Think outside the box. As it is, children who attend independent schools already have access to the infrastructure in the public schools. Yes, it has to be coordinated. But it’s available.

          • Burlington is building a multi-dollar new high school, vouchers cannot be the answer for all students.
            Legislatures are not going to let that happen and they can’t.

    • Re: “I am certainly not advocating for the ‘worseless trophy’ but, you seem to be, but only for city children without choice.”

      I’m advocating for all Vermont children to have School Choice?

    • Re: “Are any of the independent schools mentioned in your area?”

      I don’t recall mentioning a specific school. But yes. And some are closer than others.

        • The ‘program’ is our 7th and 8th grade Tuitioned School Choice in which parents and students in Westminster choose between a half a dozen or so public, independent, and independent religious schools. And, in some cases, theses students can ride the public school bus to their independent school as long as the coordinate with the school district.

    • Re: “First of all do you know the cost of public education per child per year?”

      Yes. I’m a former Public School Board director. I know the costs and how they are presented to the public.

    • Re: “Are you bragging about that (my district having School Choice or 7th & 8th grades) while city children receive a deficient education, which we both acknowledge?”

      I don’t think I’m bragging. I’m simply trying to explain what many parents in my district have discovered as being beneficial, and trying to lobby people like you and our legislators to let all parents have the same benefits.

      You do agree, after all, School Choice is a benefit for those who have it. Yes?

        • Feasible? Tuitioned School Choice is operational in 90 or so Vermont school districts as it is. It’s been a functioning governance for more than 100 years. The problem, as you so succinctly put it, is that not all school districts allow School Choice.

          FYI – There is a lawsuit in my district as we speak based on the unconstitutionality of limiting School Choice based on one’s zip code. And, as I’ve warned over and again, the State legislature (at the behest of education special interest cronies) is now trying to eliminate all School Choice through its tyrannical S. 66 proposal.

          • Some years ago, the Burlington district tried to integrate children in poor neighborhoods into middle class schools by busing them.
            It was very short lived.

          • It’s feasible, Joy – (i.e., possible) in Burlington too. Your school board currently does have the statutory authority to allow any student in 7th thru 12 grades to attend an alternative public or independent school at public cost. But it’s politically unpalatable because you don’t have a sympathetic school board. Too many wolves. Too few lambs.

            This is the governance you can cite.

            VSA T16 – § 822. School district to maintain public high schools or pay tuition.
            (c)(1) A school district may both maintain a high school and furnish high school education by paying tuition:
            (A) to a public school as in the judgment of the school board may best serve the interests of the students; or
            (B) to an approved independent school or an independent school meeting education quality standards if the school board judges that a student has unique educational needs that cannot be served within the district or at a nearby public school.
            (2) The judgment of the board shall be final in regard to the institution the students may attend at public cost.

            If you have a child in 7th grade, you can ask the school board to provide a tuition voucher. They don’t have to do so, at first. But if you have a valid reason, you could litigate. But I get it. What a pain. And, as I said earlier, there are already similar suits in the courts pending judicial decision. So, its more practical, at this time, to wait.

            And, coincidentally, VSA T16 – § 822. School district to maintain public high schools or pay tuition. – is the specific legislation Senate Bill S. 66 is seeking to repeal. You can’t make this stuff up. These people are crooks, bullies, and tyrants.

          • Joy, you also have three School Choice publicly funded schools in Burlington. The Sustainability Academy and the Integrated Arts Academy are ‘magnet schools’. And there is the Burlington Technical Center. These schools require student application (i.e., School Choice).

    • Re: “I’ve never examined this issue. I appreciate being more informed about it.”

      You are welcome, indeed.

    • The education system, especially where it is under the control of liberals and the teachers unions, is a total failure in many cities in America. I believe it was in Oregon or Washington that there were so many parents that chose to home school their children that the school districts were going to be combined. You have the liberal sociopolitical machine encouraging children to become gender confused and keep it from their parents, and we have the federal government classifying parents who don’t agree with the leftist indoctrination of their children as domestic terrorists. If I was still a parent with a child of school age I would work two jobs just so they could either be home schooled or attend a private school. Currently the public education system in liberal controlled school districts is nothing more that a socialist indoctrination camp for children. And did I mention drag queen story hours? Just like the rest of the Vermont State government, the education system is so bloated that it is dragging the economy down. In the eyes of a Vermont liberal/progressive/socialist….the government can never be big enough.

      • I cited following example a couple od days ago.

        “Seattle Public Schools consider closures as student enrollment plunges – ”

        “The declining enrollment comes after homeschooling rates nearly doubled…”

        “Student enrollment has dropped to roughly 50,000 students from nearly 54,000 in the 2019-2020 school year. In a best-case scenario, school administrators expect 49,000 students by 2032, and in a worst-case scenario, enrollment may be as low as 43,000.”

        “I really think that what Seattle’s seeing, where those students have gone are either to private schools or they’ve left the school district and have moved elsewhere…”

        Vermont’s progressive legislature should take note. In the final analysis, failure breeds failure. And not only will the education special interest groups be the last one’s left holding the bag, they won’t have anyone but themselves to blame for their failures.

        Think about it. Vermont, as an entire State, has only twice as many public school students as Seattle, WA. Both districts are similarly progressive. And the folks in Seattle are just beginning to see the effects of their dystopia. Vermont enrollments, after all, have declined from a peak of over 100,000 to around 75,000 today.

        The writing is on the blackboard. But, apparently, no one knows how to read it.

    • Joy from Burlington doesn’t see that the legislature is the enemy- it’s the whiny parents.

      Yet she’s a recovering Democrat- she feels.

      I think that about says it all.

      • I suspect Joy is figuring it out. As I said below, it took a long time to get into this mess. It will take a while for everyone to figure out how to get out of it.

        Ancient proverb: Perseverance brings good fortune.

      • LOL. Stone what is your obsession with my using the word recovering. Are you an idiot or what? If not you sure are a nasty B.
        I prefer not to see people as enemies, they too are doing what they believe is right.

        • Because Joy you crashed into this site here like a bull in the china closet announcing to us that you are a “recovering Dem”, and then in just about every single post you dump on us -you show us that you are clearly not very recovered.

          It’s quite easy to see why Burlington is in the mess that it is reading your posts- which often lack civility.

          You may start your recovery with some simple manners: no one addresses people by their last name here.
          We also don’t call each other names.
          You call me an ‘Idiot’ and a ‘nasty B’ and then in the very next sentence you say you prefer not to see people as enemies.

          You clearly display what many of the issues are today.

          • Joy didn’t ‘crash’ here any more than I did, Laura. And I too often have difficulty not projecting my character flaws on to others.

            Let us count to ten.

            .

          • Stone: Your comment above clearly makes my case about how nasty you are. I shake my head at how much you intentionally misrepresent my every word and intention to weaponize them against me. How can that be anything other than mean-spirited?
            You reveal you, not me. You seem to believe that I am guilty of much and you are guilty of nothing.
            You say you don’t call each other names, ha, ha. Why would you, you are all in the same choir. Anyone who sings off-key (mainly me) brings out the bullying dart throwers. You are very fragile people!! who can’t tolerate being challenged.
            How many seekers have come to this site and never returned because of the disgusting comments?
            How funny is it that you and others here condemn Dems for believing that they have the one and only truth when you are guilty of same! Neither of your political ideologies are THE TRUTH. Unlike you, at least I am open to hearing other opinions. Seek to understand rather than to be understood: St Francis.
            Your obsession has become predictable. “See! you are not recovering.” My god, lighten up.
            I do think you are a nasty B. Still, that does not make you or anyone else here an enemy. That militaristic language is intended to de-humanize and kill.
            Finally, I came to this site seeking to learn. I was shocked by the venomous name-calling and labeling of ‘the other’, of which you are guilty. While I appreciate the commentaries, I have learned nothing from the mean-spirited posters.

        • And this is the problem, in a nutshell.

          Yes… both sides of the political aisle accuse the other side of being nasty (e.g., patronizing). Both sides accuse the other of psychological projection – attributing one’s own unacceptable character traits on to another. We should all count to ten before putting pen to paper, or finger to keyboard, as the case may be.

          But there is a profound difference between the two factions. While both sides accept the dichotomy as typical human nature, one side proposes a live-and-let-live social construct. The other side, however, those currently in the majority of our legislature, for example, believe only their version of the social construct should be imposed on everyone as one of extrinsic uniformity, one-size-fits-all, the ‘equity’ of equal outcome, everyone gets a trophy. And they ‘… torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience’.

          Joy, I’m simply trying to explain the benefits and inclusionary nature of intrinsic diversity and individual autonomy. That you disagree with me from time to time doesn’t make you my ‘enemy’. You have every right to pursue happiness as you see fit.

          But those in the legislature, those imposing their subjective social construct on everyone by force, and those who enable them – they make it “…necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, …”.

          “To be ‘cured’ against one’s will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to be put on a level of those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will; to be classed with infants, imbeciles, and domestic animals.”

          I’m beginning to suspect that these differences are irreconcilable. And that is a problem for which there appears to be no cure.

          • Jay:

            You hit the nail on the head. There are those of us that just want to be left alone with life the way it is, and then there are those who are so sure they know what’s best for everyone that they do all they can to pass laws and control every aspect of our lives. I finally realized that these differences ARE totally irreconcilable. A person can never understand how heavy the load is until they cast it aside.

  4. So this has been the plan all along. It was written out for all to see. They will pick the topic about which the entire argument will play out, the intent for the other side to take the bait and the argument framed as they frame it, this way they have control, control of public opinion and the direction.

    The title of the project should make some in the know, immediately know who and what is behind this. We are being played once again, we desperately need to be wiser than snakes and more innocent then doves.

    This is not a game of tiddlywinks, this is real.

    • There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism – by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide. – – A.Rand

      • Ayn Rand saw this coming – and the path is right now being followed
        The populous shrugged Now Big Brother, Socialist, Communism takes over !!

      • Hi Jay,
        They also rightly say that it’s easy to vote for Socialism -but you’ll end up shooting your way out of it.

        I think that this is looking to be fairly accurate..when combining what you are saying with what we are actually seeing.

        • Re: “but you’ll end up shooting your way out of it.”

          I’ve been a witness to this social debate for decades, Laura.. ever since I was in college in Ohio during the now infamous Kent State shootings. Shooting your way out of it isn’t the only recourse. What I learned in Ohio is that, when the shooting starts, and it is already starting, stay out of it any way you can.

  5. The reasoning in this commentary is soo flawed.
    It calls the switch from ‘special ed to therapeutic’ insensitive. I don’t see it but anyway, how is not wanting the best education for ALL VT children not grossly insensitive, even callous? How is the language of extermination not grossly insensitive and absurd? Maybe the parents of children with special needs should title the program themselves. Maybe they did.

    Some years ago I learned what the tuition of Rice High is. I should say was because I am sure it is much higher now. It was shocking! Back then one could attend college on their tuition. How is that not small town parents and schools exploiting taxpayers?

    How is that particular special interest, which Repubs claim to abhor, not the equivalent as “putting the EEA’s own interest ahead of pupils that VT education is supported to serve?

    “Schools that do a better job” “best for their children”, these statements are all rather sickening. Every child needs and should have a right to THE best education.

    Children living in cities with public schools do not have the choice of better schools so small town children should receive only the equivalent of what they have.

    Shame on anyone who thinks otherwise.

    • Education law is complicated, Joy. Its legislative development is reflected in Saul Alinsky’s RULE 3: “Whenever possible, go outside the expertise of the enemy.”

      ‘Special Needs’ children are governed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It’s a Federally regulated program. SPED kids already have the right to School Choice.

      On the other hand, when a Vermont student with no disabilities attends a private school at taxpayer expense, they receive significantly less than the typical cost per student at a public school. For example, in my district of Westminster, the ‘actual’ cost per student in our K-6 public school is more than $26,000 per student. But when those students reach 7th and 8th grade, they receive a ‘tuition voucher’ of $17,278 to attend the independent school of their choice. And the 7th and 8th grade tuition program is the most popular with parents in the district. In fact, parents sometimes move to Westminster to take advantage of the School Choice program.

      Re: “Schools that do a better job” – “best for their children”,…?

      Please understand that while the terms ‘better’ and ‘best’ are often in the eyes of the beholder, there is some commonality. Specifically with regard to cost (see above). But also, with academic performance. By the Vermont Agency of Education’s own assessments, 60% of all Vermont students don’t meet minimum grade-level standards. And 90% of them graduate anyway. That’s anything but ‘better’ or ‘best’ in my book.

      Re: “Children living in cities with public schools do not have the choice of better schools so small town children should receive only the equivalent of what they have.”

      This is what is commonly referred to as seeking the lowest common denominator. It’s shared misery. Everyone gets a (worthless) trophy.

      If equivalence is the object, why not let the children living in cities with public schools have the same School Choice as small-town kids? Let every parent have access to the State’s tuition voucher to choose the school they believe best meets the needs of their children.

      • Jay one thing here that no one talks much about is the importance of assuming some personal responsibility on the parents behalf.

        Realistically speaking, it’s simply impossible for all schools to be all things to all kids.
        Parents need to step up to the plate sometimes and move to districts where there are schools that better suit their needs.
        Welcome to being a parent and doing what you need to do for your kids.
        A lot of responsible people actually buy houses in good districts before they even begin a family- seeing this and understanding this is what responsible Adults do.

        A large part of the problem here is the mindset of looking to the government to solve all your issues for you.
        Well guess what: you are free people and Vermont is full of good schools.
        Pack up and move to where they are.
        If you can’t do that in Vermont then go where you can.
        There is nothing stopping you.
        Give up the ‘stuff’ and do what you gotta do for your kids.

        Because, this could actually be one of the most effective things you do.
        When school districts begin to empty out, they will get the point and begin fixing things really fast- or they’ll go down the drain- and many do.

        Don’t underestimate what the power of the free market creating real competition can do here to actually improve public schools- and that right there is really the crux of the issues.

        • School Choice is as much for parental development as it is child development. And yes, most parents are not prepared to accept that repsonsibility. But the sooner they start to have the option, the sooner they’ll learn.

          It took decades and generations of failed education to get into this swamp. It will take a while to get out of it.

          • Yes, good point- about the Parental Development.
            Again, most young parents have no idea at all what an undertaking just getting your kids educated today is.

            Education is a world unto itself- and if you are not in that world, the learning curve is steep.
            I’ve got 11 years into it now and there are many days when I feel what I’ve gathered thus far is but a drop in the bucket.

  6. John, If any parent with school-age children don’t step up and stop this nonsense,
    if they aren’t up in arms over this, then they get what they get !!

    When you vote for these agenda-driven clowns ” power-hungry ” and you are not
    Welcome into the agenda, they know best for your children………….

    Wake up people

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