Letter to the Editor: Public Should Not Be Forced to Pay for Private Education

The story by Craig Sterret in the Nov. 24-Dec. 1 issue of the Peninsula Pulse [“Private-School Voucher Program Keeps Growing”] only begins to illustrate the harmful effects of the out-of-control Wisconsin Private School Choice Program. The trend is alarming. The $299,284 the Sturgeon Bay school district has lost to private schools, including the neighborhood Catholic school, is up from $193,000 in 2020, while Southern Door’s loss is up to $106,370 from $33,000. Another school district to our south, Kewaunee Public Schools, will lose $410,184. 

The financial impact, while significant, is only a part of the damage. Public schools in Wisconsin are prohibited from discriminating against students on the basis of sex, pregnancy, marital or parental status or sexual orientation. Private voucher schools are allowed to circumvent these anti-discrimination measures. Public schools must honor constitutional rights of free speech and association and due process when a student is suspended or expelled. Private voucher schools do not. Public schools must follow Wisconsin’s open meetings and record laws. Private voucher schools do not. Public schools are controlled by publicly elected school boards. Private voucher schools are not. Wisconsin school board meetings are open to the public. Private school board meetings are not. 

It is unacceptable to divert tax dollars to private schools where specific religious beliefs are taught, and to schools which are allowed to discriminate, oppress, hide and operate undemocratically. Parents have the right to choose a private school education for their children, but the public should not be forced to pay for it. This issue continues to grow beyond the large urban areas of our state. Clearly it has been hitting our community since 2020. The increased voucher amount this year, and the elimination of enrollment caps in 2025, will only make matters worse as the public schools our children attend are increasingly starved for resources. 

Diane Slivka

Forestville, Wisconsin