The Tom Luna education reform is the most pathetic proposal to spur tax cuts in Idaho I have yet heard. As a student, I am profoundly aware that funding has already been cut for many valuable school programs and activities. Alike, paper shortages and frozen teacher salaries make for frustrated students and administrators. 

Yes, the Tom Luna plan would save us money and cut our taxes, but is it worth it? Not once have I heard positive feedback reinforcing the use of online classes to enrich genuine student learning; yet this is the newly proposed method of education in Idaho. Online schooling proves useful to students falling behind that need to catch up on credits, but is not a sufficient replacement for all courses. It would be intellectually fruitless and would lack the key aspects of public education: a relationship between the student and teacher, and the academic benefits of a classroom where kids and teens work together. 

From an additional standpoint, Tom Luna stated that “Our economy demands this type of chance,” so how does a better economy blossom from nearly 1,000 fewer jobs? I think it’s outlandish.

Even taxpayers with extra cash in their pockets would easily be able to admit that it wasn’t worth it should the bill pass. I would rather see us young adults get a decent education and pay the equivalent of taxes today than to watch us turn to lazy, apathetic couch potatoes in front of laptops.

HANNAH IRVIN

Coeur d’Alene