Recent opinion shared by Chris Cargill from the Mountain States Policy Center (MSPC) would have Idahoans believe that speaking out for Idaho education as governed by our state legislators is something other than being a loving parent. I attended the recent “Parental Choice Town Hall” event in Pocatello. Chris also states “a very different group is showing up too. They aren’t coming to listen. They are there to agitate.” This was not a “very different” group. These folks, who are long-time Pocatello and Southeast Idaho residents, are also loving parents. I know because they are my neighbors. I have lived in our community with them and watched them raise their children with profound respect for parents, regardless of differences in opinion. Even with sharing of emotional feedback and asking of valid questions, not one of these folks challenging the panelists with their comments and questions was there to intimidate or show contempt for other parent attendees. Numerous questions were asked by parents wanting more details on how this new legislation will translate into programming. And not one of these so-called agitators interrupted or attacked any of these questions from other parent attendees. What these concerned citizens and Idaho taxpayers did is confront legislators and Chris with tough questions that they seem upset by answering, as if the opposition to their unpopular tax credit policy is coming just from hostility or as he calls it “political theater.” HB 93 is legislation introduced and passed by Idaho legislators and the Governor. It is political and it will continue to be political because elected political leaders are responsible for its creation and now implementation, despite large public outcry. Allow me to offer how I see at least one piece of “objective” information and number offered by MSPC and legislators at this event.
Data and statistics are often used as evidence of fact. However, numbers like emotions can be used to advance goals and agendas. It was stated that “66% of Idahoans support” the parental choice tax credit, based on polling of “800 Idaho Registered Voters.” If you look closely at the fine print, there is reference to “The Idaho Poll” from MSPC and RMG Research. Neither MSPC nor RMG can be characterized as completely neutral in their political leanings. This polling effort utilizes sampling to suggest generalizations about a larger population. The key here is suggested generalizations; that is different from undisputable truth. However, there is also truth in the number 32,366 and 86%. Governor Little’s office received 32,366 phone calls from Idahoans asking him to veto HB 93; these were unique and non-duplicated calls, as per Little’s press secretary Joan Varsek. That represents about 86% of calls received opposing HB 93 and parental choice tax credits. So which numbers tell the truth? That is for each of us to decide but 32,366 is certainly much larger than 800.
As Idaho taxpayers who were invited to an open town hall event and given the known response this policy has received from Idahoans, it seems hard to believe that Chris and the panelists would not have anticipated some of this response. Just the opposite; an alliance between MSPC (who compares themselves to the Heritage Foundation, hardly an unbiased organization), other out of state groups like the American Federation for Children (again, not unbiased), and some of our own elected state legislators is every bit part of a stage set in “political theater” by Chris and event organizers. This was an effort to divide Idaho parents against each other and distract from the fact that Idahoans oppose this legislation. None of us, as Idaho parents in attendance at this town hall, were there because other Idaho parents are seeking different pathways to educate their children. We were also not there for any of the other misleading and false reasons Chris offers. We are loving parents just the same as any other loving parents and as a result, we will continue to stand up for our Idaho children the same as all Idaho parents have the right to do.
