Signatures needed to get School Choice on the ballot

For years now and especially in the past two, I have heard many caring people express great concern for the quality of education of the children of current and future generations. While most teachers are doing a phenomenal job with the limited resources and overwhelming challenges they face today, when it comes to educating our kids, the system in which they work is often broken. This is not a Democrat or Republican party issue. This is a parent issue that crosses all party lines. Many people are now aware of this and asking “what can we do to help?”

Well, here is your answer! Donate some time collecting signatures for the School choice Initiative to be placed on the ballot for the November 2022 election. If there was ever a chance for School choice to pass, it is now. Recently, local parents and caring community members have been meeting together and building a coalition or "Parental Choice Army" of sorts.

This letter is a call for more foot soldiers to come and engage actively in the battle and even the generals and kings to lead in the fight for more choice and accountability of schools to parents. Without those of you who care to do the actual physical leg work of collecting signatures, this possibility of hope for some is dead in the water. We need all hands on deck collecting signatures during February and March.

I am a single mom who receives no child support. Because I can't afford private school, I truly don't have a choice like those who are wealthy do. This measure would equal the learning opportunities for all California children, no matter the families’ income or race, etc.

My son's preferred learning modality is more tactile and kinesthetic, whereas most traditional schools are visual and auditory in most of their teaching. This allows me to seek out an environment that will help him learn better and become a more positive contributing member of society. It will allow parents to customize their child's learning to best fit the child and the family's lifestyle.

Right now approximately $14,000 a year from our state taxes are allocated per student to the public school assigned to that child's address. This measure would instead assign those tax dollars already allotted per child (so no new increase in taxes) to follow the student instead by creating an account with their name that holds the funds until the child is registered at the school that is the best fit for their learning style and family values.

If the full $14,000 is not spent, it accumulates each year and the child is able to put it towards the accredited college or trade school of choice up to age 30. Also, the schools cannot be bound by health nor curriculum mandates based on this funding.

School choice is a win-win for all. Even public schools still prosper, should a family decide another option is a better fit. This is because public schools will still continue to receive your child's federal funding. Therefore, if public schools end up with less students, they will have more money federally to distribute per student. But if they continue to be the best option, then parents can still choose public education and they will receive that child's additional $14,000 from the state of California.

All accredited types of schooling are eligible. For those who are in non accredited home schools, etc. and who can't currently apply their child's funds, their child will have over $160,000 waiting for them to use for college or trade school. So, to all you caring people willing to dedicate your time to this great equalizing opportunity for all please reach out to Michael Hefner at [email protected] or go to http://www.CaliforniaSchoolChoice.org for information on how to get petitions and any other questions you may have.

We have a population of around 60,000 in the Fallbrook and Bonsall area. If just 10,000 of those residents took a day or few hours here and there over the next few months gathering 100 signatures each on the public sidewalks right next to high traffic store doors like Walmart or Target, Hobby Lobby, etc. or churches/synagogues, all houses of worship etc. or even just our circles of influence, we would quickly have the required million signatures we need to get School choice on the ballot.

So, if you are concerned, I ask “will you commit a little time to serve the future voters and producers of California?” Your feet on the ground collecting signatures is one of the most peaceful and effective ways to create real, lasting, positive change.

Please join and help me bless the kids of California!

Kara Jenkins