The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the ballot language for “Utah’s Parent Choice in Education Act” has been finalized. Utah voters this November will determine the Act’s future, which makes available vouchers of $500 - $3,000 for children in parochial and other private schools. All public school students, regardless of income, will be eligible.
State Rep. Kory Holdaway and State Senator Jon Greiner wrote the anti-voucher arguments to be sent to voters in early fall. The lawmakers argue that the scheme won’t help disadvantaged students and Utah parents already have education choices though the state’s “open-enrollment” plan, but they neglect one very important reason: school vouchers threaten church-state separation.
It’s unfortunate that church-state separation is sometimes overlooked as a reason to reject these schemes, because it’s one of the most convincing arguments. No one can deny that religious schools are inherently religious. It sounds obvious, but it’s worth remembering that religious belief, teaching and practice permeate life at religious schools. Most schools require students to attend worship, study the school’s faith and comply with its doctrinal teachings in their daily lives. Indeed, many exist precisely because parents want a religious alternative to secular public education.
Nor can anyone deny that the principle of church-state separation forbids government-supported religion. Americans have long been free to support, or not support, the religion of their choice. Forcing taxpayers to foot the tuition bill for students in religious schools is a huge step towards established religion in this country, for there is no better way for a government to advance religion than to pay for it.
The choice Utah voters will face this fall is not limited to whether parents can send their children to private schools on the taxpayer’s dime. Indeed, underlying each voter’s choice will be a vote for or against the separation of church and state.
By Lauren Smith
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