Let Kids Choose!

CREDIT: Scott Sommerdorf/
Salt Lake Tribune

Utah state Senator Aaron Ormond wants to let kids to choose to go to school. I'll let him speak for himself. The statements below are from The Senate Site, a blog maintained by the Utah State Senate.

Some parents completely disengage themselves from their obligation to oversee and ensure the successful education of their children.

I agree.  In the time I spent consulting with a preschool - 8th grade school, I saw varying degrees of commitment from parents.

As a result, our teachers and schools have been forced to become surrogate parents, expected to do everything from behavioral counseling, to providing adequate nutrition, to teaching sex education, as well as ensuring full college and career readiness.

Before I began my work with children, I never appreciated the responsibility  that teachers took on. Want to see a hero in action? Visit a classroom.

Unfortunately, in this system, teachers rarely receive meaningful support or engagement from parents and occasionally face retaliation when they attempt to hold a child accountable for bad behavior or poor academic performance.

Unfortunately, I've seen this happen, too.

First, we need to restore the expectation that parents are primarily responsible for the educational success of their own children.

Can I get a witness!

That begins with restoring the parental right to decide if and when a child will go to public school. In a country founded on the principles of personal freedom and unalienable rights, no parent should be forced by the government to send their child to school under threat of fines and jail time.

That begins with restoring the parental right to decide if and when a child will go to public school. In a country founded on the principles of personal freedom and unalienable rights, no parent should be forced by the government to send their child to school under threat of fines and jail time.

Oh. Irresponsible parents can then choose not to educate the children.

Utah’s constitution requires that we provide the opportunity for a free public education to every child. But public education is not free—it costs taxpayers billions each year.

Wait until he sees the cost of an uneducated child.

We should take a close look at repealing compulsory education.

And we have a new candidate for Stupid Politician of the Year.