School choice will mean better schools

I am responding to Lincoln County High School social studies teacher David R. James’ letter in the March 27 edition of the Daily Inter Lake. In his letter Mr. James takes the Montana Legislature to task for considering school choice. It was disappointing to see a school teacher with Mr. James’ tenure resorting to fallacious arguments rather than facts to present his case. 

I don’t believe Mr. James really understands Montana’s school-choice movement. It is not a nefarious plot to hand over buckets of taxpayer money to out of state corporations like Mr. James argues; instead, the Montana school choice movement wants to make sure every Montana family has the right to spend their education dollars in a school that works best for their children. 

Although Montana public schools are arguably quite good, in many cases they are not the best option for every family. Throughout Montana and beyond, other education options are proving to be much less expensive and much more effective than the union monopoly system Mr. James represents. So far, 43 other states have passed legislation making it easier for their citizens to direct where and how education dollars will be spent, and parents who are able to send their children to the best schools — because of school choice legislation — are happy. Many home schools, private schools, and charter schools are doing a better job of customizing their teaching methods to best meet the needs of their students. No longer a secret, the citizens of Montana now want school choice for their kids, too. 

I can see where Mr. James and his union comrades are a little anxious. Unlike doctors, architects, plumbers, hair stylists, or even private school teachers, Montana union teachers have never had to concern themselves with someone else luring away their students with higher quality and lower prices. Having to compete against other schools will require school districts to rely on something more than monopoly status to ensure their students come back year after year. Montanans know that in order to get the highest quality and best price, a town needs at least two hardware stores; it is no different in education. What Mr. James doesn’t realize is healthy competition will actually provide the proper incentives for him to become an even better teacher. 

In order to compete in a global economy, Montanans know their children can’t afford to have the world’s 31st best education. About 80 percent of the nation is already enjoying the benefits of school choice; it is now time for Montana to enjoy the benefits of school competition as well. 

Mr. James’s whole argument hinges on the premise that the state should continue preventing Montana parents from pursuing the “best” educations for their children because public schools are “good enough.” In order to persuade us that Montana should continue blocking parents from freely choosing where their own education dollars will be spent, like in other states, Mr. James will have to present more evidence and less hyperbole that doing so will hurt anyone besides union teachers. 

Coco is a resident of Whitefish.