This letter explains why school choice is critical for our Constitutional Republic and how schools are funded. Funds for public schools come primarily from local property taxes and levies that all property owners pay. Also, the teachers’ union works in Helena to get more funds for public schools. The teachers are required to pay dues to the union. Private schools get their funds from the parents of students and donations.
The basic curriculum (reading, writing and arithmetic) in private and public schools is similar, but the electives are different. Private Christian schools are religious, and parents have control of the electives. Moral and productive values are emphasized, which gets students through tough times. With an emphasis on Bible study, students develop morals such as loving your neighbors as yourself.
In many public schools the critical race theory and WOKE curriculum indoctrination is taught that destroys the modesty of students and their love of our country. Religion was taken out of public schools 65 years ago and parents are now seeing the damage that is being done when Christian principles are being ignored.
Private schools and home schoolers help Montana property taxpayers by reducing their taxes because the average per pupil spending in Montana public schools is $16,964 (2023 data) per year. Based on this figure, parents of students who attend Stillwater Christian School with 500 students saves the taxpayers approximately $8,482,000 each year. Despite the cost of tuition for private schools and homeschooling the number of students seeking an alternative to public schools is increasing because parents do not agree with the values being taught in public schools.
Verdell Jackson
Kalispell