EDUCATION: Causes for concern

March 1, this newspaper published an article, “Idaho bill eyes public money for private education” addressing the desire of Idaho parents to address their children’s educational needs from a public school setting to alternatives such as private schools or homeschooling. The source of funding would be in the form of an education savings account (ESA).

While opponents claim ESAs are a voucher system and to be a violation of the Idaho state constitution, there seems to be no concern about why parents want their children out of the Idaho public schools. I’d like to attempt to address that issue.

In 2021, Idaho’s public schools average SAT score was 1006, out of a possible 1600, rating 48th out of the 50 states. Idaho’s private schools SAT scores were 1230 (national average 1229).

Or maybe the hot button issue, Critical Race Theory (CRT) has something to do with it. While here in Coeur d’Alene, teachers and administrators deny it all daylong, CRT has been implemented in the public schools here. They deny, without lying because CRT is not taught, it is implemented.

If not called CRT, it may be called Portrait of a Graduate or another popular term is Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Those are just a couple of the myriad of issues that have presented themselves to be problematic for parents that are paying attention.

So, while the battle over money wages on, the issues of why continue to go unaddressed.

KAREN MILACEK

Post Falls