Column for July 2, 2009

Sacred cows are mighty tasty. Especially when they are slaughtered by hypocritical politicians. For years, we have heard the mantra, "But it's for the children!" as an excuse to pass tax hikes, bond referenda, and implement spending and education plans that allegedly benefit children.

I had a debate with a friend of mine recently on the proposed budget cut proffered by the NC State Legislature's Health & Human Services conference subcommittee. The budget constraints are forcing across the board budget cuts, and that subcommittee has recommended cutting the SmartStart budget by $28.2 million.

According to the SmartStart's web site, "Smart Start is North Carolina's nationally recognized and award-winning early childhood initiative designed to ensure that young children enter school healthy and ready to succeed." Here we have an award-winning program that is being used as a pattern for similar programs across the nation being essentially gutted of the majority of its recurring expenditures.

As a parent of one child and about to have another within a couple of weeks, do I want my children to enter school "healthy and ready to succeed"? Of course I do. I just believe that such a thing is my responsibility and not a burden for the taxpayers of North Carolina.

I do not believe in the indoctrination of children by an education system, whether administered through a private organization or a state run school. I believe in a parent taking an active roll in their children's education and development. For many parents, programs such as SmartStart, More at Four, What to Be at Three, or Stuff To Do At Two are merely free babysitting services. But of course they are not free. We taxpayers pay the freight on those services. Sorry, but it is not the responsibility of the government to become surrogate parents or provide day care. If you can not afford the expense of children, I am sure that birth control prescriptions will be much cheaper.

I thought that the lottery was supposed to be the savior of education programs in this state. Personally, I am ambivalent towards a lottery. I could not care less whether the state has one or not, as I am not the prudish "it is gambling and a sin" type of guy on that subject. What bothered me about the lottery was that it was portrayed as the necessary savior of our education program funding woes. The lottery legislation was passed under questionable circumstances and on a false premise. That one sacred cow has failed to deliver the promised milk yield.

Now the same sorts of people who wanted to have government intervention and cradle to grave indoctrination systems have decided to cut their precious day care for toddler aged children. Their sacred cow is being butchered one piece at a time. Personally, I am finding it mighty tasty to watch the grilling commence. The "but it is for the children" crowd are eating burgers of their own creation.

If legislators in Raleigh really cared about education, they would have supported the school choice option. Just within the last few weeks, a viable alternative for local education had to shut down. Johnston Christian Academy on Buffalo Road in Smithfield ceased operation. That institution was one of my considerations for schooling of my own child. Now that choice has been removed.

If parents had the ability to take their allotted per child government spending to a school of their choice, then perhaps schools that will offer competitive learning environments would flourish, much as some charter schools do. Competition for students will have the effect of forcing higher quality education services to attract students, including at the government schools. It may not be politically correct, but it would surely be "for the children" and one more sacred cow we could slaughter.

I have heard it argued that the SmartStart proposed cuts would disproportionately affect children who do not speak English, can not afford day care, or have incompetent parents. I have compassion for them, I really do. However, since when it is the government's responsibility to remedy every single family's maladies? More sacred burgers to enjoy, perhaps? I hope so.