As a retired public educator, I have watched with frustration as state legislators, one after another, talk about the high priority and commitment they have to properly fund public education.
Sadly, it sounds the same today as it did when I arrived at Weber State University in 1981 — empty rhetoric and unfulfilled promises. Some people were surprised that Salt Lake teachers walked off the job last Friday, although I can’t imagine why. The only thing that surprised me was that teachers didn’t strike years ago.
Recently, the Legislature hurriedly passed a flawed and poorly understood state tax reform bill with provisions that should serve as a warning to all who support higher levels of funding for public education: Due to overwhelming public opposition, they quickly repealed their ill-conceived bill.
The most alarming provision called for an increase in the dependent tax deduction from $600 to $2,500 per child. The logic of this provision defies common sense and logic.
With Utah perpetually last among the states in per-pupil spending, increasing the dependent deduction by a whopping 400 plus percent is foolish. The move rewards families that contribute most to our already crowded schools and educational costs.
We ought to be doing just the opposite by eliminating the deduction altogether or at least limiting it to two. If Utah passed that kind of legislation, it would rightly place increased financial responsibility on the shoulders of the families who choose to have more kids. Why shouldn’t these families pay higher taxes to help offset the burden placed on our crowded schools?
It also appears the state income tax reform bill, had it not been repealed, was to be followed by legislative action to amend the state Constitution, a move that would have allowed the legislature increased flexibility on how to spend state tax dollars currently earmarked exclusively for education. Another bad idea that would threaten future public education funding.
By recently walking off the job, teachers sent the Legislature a serious warning. The walkout is symptomatic of the growing frustration caused by chronically underfunded schools.
A 2018 Brooking Institution study identified four factors that have contributed to teacher strikes in other states over the past two years. Utah shares three of these factors: (1) state teacher salary ranking — Utah ranks 45th, (2) inflation adjusted salary ranking — Utah is 8% below the average, and (3) change in the amount of per-pupil spending since the Great Recession — Utah is down 14.6%. The study concluded by identifying nine states, including Utah, most likely to suffer a future teacher strike.
To legislators: It’s time to abandon the decade’s old practice of “Stack ‘em deep and teach ‘em cheap.” You can persist in doing the same-old, same-old and continue to suffer the same old outcomes — crowded classrooms, underpaid teachers and staff, unfilled teacher/staff positions and failure to retain our most experienced teachers.
Or you can choose a different path — to properly fund public education. That path will contribute to a strong work force from which to select our future teachers and will contribute to a strong and vibrant state economy.
To teachers who say, “We are not being heard,” sorry, but you’re wrong. Legislators have heard you loud and clear for decades, but they just don’t care enough to change course.
Small comfort, but you’re not alone. Republican legislators have been tone-deaf to other issues important to Utah’s future such as expanding Medicaid, legalizing medical marijuana, outlawing gerrymandering and reforming state income tax law.
I hope I’m wrong, but I believe that nothing short of a statewide teacher strike will alter the public discourse and lead to long overdue increases in public education funding.
Michael Norman
Michael Norman is a professor emeritus from Weber State University’s Department of Criminal Justice. He is the author of five mystery novels, all set in Utah. His latest novel is titled, “Slow Burn.”