Bleak in Ohio, maybe not!

Looks like Springboro's wade into the Creationist waters was a very tentative toe-dip. I can picture Mrs. Kohls dipping her toe in and retreating quickly. In another report in the Dayton Daily News "Official: Vouchers could be creationism option" which explained she has changed her approach. Now instead of trying to teach Creationism, she is interested in using vouchers -- paid for by State funds -- so families can send kids to parochial schools. See what I mean by a retreat?

What I think happened is the number of comments to the paper, the Springboro School District, and probably Mrs. Kohls herself and other Board members must not have supported her intentions. Like a good politician, she changed her mind.

Now, about her new position, I disagree. I don't think the State of Ohio should be spending tax money to send kids to private schools of any type, except if each and every existing school was packed to the gills and there was no other alternative. My thinking is simple. If we want a public school system, we have to pay for it. If some families wish to opt out, then they currently get to pay for it themselves. If that's wrong, then let's change the way public schools are funded. But using my tax money, tax money I expect to be used to support my family, to send someone else's kids to a non-public school is wrong and in my mind -- a betrayal! It's as if my city tax money gets sent to another city for their use, or my State taxes goes sent to another State. It's not right!

If we need to different way to fund schools, let's explore it. If public schools aren't good enough, let's fix them. But using the money that supports public school to send kids elsewhere is just plain wrong! Currently vouchers are being used only in school distracts that are rated very poor -- certainly not the rating for Springboro. So in order to use vouchers in this way would also be against the current rules.

So while the news is good, it's not perfect. We shall see what the future brings! Mrs. Kohls is still on the Board, so this could erupt at any moment. I bet she was a bit taken back by the swift reaction. To anyone else who responded, to those who wrote the paper, the board, or even individual board members, all I can say is 'Nice work!' We shouldn't need another lawsuit, especially not one that has been fought before!