Here’s a warning for Kansas Republicans: You may love private school vouchers. But there’s every reason to think that voters hate them.
And here’s a warning for Kansans: There’s also good reason to believe that yet another voucher push is coming.
Vouchers — which would divert tax dollars from community and neighborhood public schools to help parents send their kids to private schools — have long been a high priority for conservatives in Topeka.
So far, despite repeated attempts, Kansas Republicans have failed to get pro-voucher bills across the finish line.
But the GOP strengthened its supermajorities in the Legislature in the Nov. 5 election.
That means conservatives can lose a vote here and there and still push right-wing legislation past Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto pen.
Which worries Kansas public education advocates.
“We were hoping that we would get more moderate Republicans or Democrats elected who would be against vouchers,” said Scott Rothschild of Kansans for Excellence in Education, a group that promoted moderate candidates for the Kansas State Board of Education during the recent campaign.
The group’s hopes didn’t come to fruition.
Conservatives won, both in the Legislature and on the education board.
“I think we’ll see a (voucher) proposal come out of the legislature now,” Rothschild said.
Losses at polls in red states
If and when Kansas Republicans do push school vouchers, they’ll do so at an interesting moment.
Voters in three states — including two deep-red states — overwhelmingly rejected voucher programs on Nov. 5.
Colorado voters defeated legislation that would let parents use taxpayer dollars to send their kids to private schools.
