government intervention
in the running of schools," he said. "It
leaves question marks in the role that
the government would be allowed to
play in running schools."
Money is often not the key factor
in parental decisions on whether to
send a child to a Jewish school, offi-
cials say. Most of the schools say they
work hard to keep it that way by hold-
ing down tuition and by offering

scholarships to stu-
dents whose parents
could not otherwise
afford the fees.
Hillel, for example, offers scholar-
ships that cover all but $1,000 per stu-
dent. Twenty-eight percent of Hillel stu-
dents are on some type of scholarship.
Nationally, the United Synagogue
of Conservative Judaism (USCJ),

Hillel's parent organization, may be
wavering on its longstanding policy
against vouchers.
"We are beginning to review it
again, not just because of the recent
Supreme Court decision, but because
of tuition costs, violence in schools
and low test scores," said Sarai Crane,
USCJ director of social action and
public policy "We're looking not
only in terms of how it will assist
people in sending their kids to Jewish
schools, but the overall impact on
Americans."
Cranis is unsure
how a potential tax
credit or voucher situ-
ation would affect
tuition at Hillel.
"It would be self-
defeating to take
advantage of vouchers
and boost tuition," he
said. "We would have
to review, if in fact
one is in place, how it
would impact our
overall structure. Our
goal is make the
school affordable for
as many Jewish kids as
possible."
Michael Greeley and Judy
Goldsmith, both parents of Hillel
kindergartners, are on the fence about
vouchers or tax credits.
"I would save money," Greeley said,
"but I think we have to support public

tax credit," she said. "It is a help to
the middle and upper class.
"People in Detroit will likely not
have enough money to get into private
schools," she said.
Glenn acknowledges that the typi-
cal tuition tax credit proposal leaves
out low-income families, but says he's
gotten support for this proposal
because it's available for anyone.
Michigan would not be the first
state to offer a tuition tax credit.
Arizona passed a tax credit last year
for individuals who give to non-profit
organizations that have scholarships
for the poor. The Arizona Supreme
Court is considering the question.
Cleveland has a voucher system
that is set up in much the same fash-
ion as Milwaukee's.
On Nov. 12, Republican State
Senators Bill Schuette, Joel Gougeon
and Mike Rogers introduced legislation
for a tuition tax credit that differs some-
what from the School Choice YES!
plan. It would allow state financial aid
for urban low-income children to go to

non-religious, non-public schools.
Phil Ginotti, a Schuette aide, said
the bill was introduced in the wake of
the Wisconsin decision. The plan
would allow Detroit families at 150
percent of the poverty level to transfer
to a private school in Detroit, and
state funding would flow to that
school. The school would have to be
approved by the State Department of
Education.
"Children from wealthy families
already have choice and opportunity
in school selection," Schuette said.
"We need to afford choice and
involvement to parents from low-
income families as well."
There are two methods to get a
constitutional amendment proposal
on the ballot — through the
Legislature or by getting signatures on
a proposal. Straus said getting citizen
signatures by going door-to-door was
more likely to be effective than legisla-
tive action.
"It takes a two-thirds majority to
pass [the Legislature], not a simple

majority," she explained. "It will be
. debated, and it could get a majority,
but not enough."
Brian Whiston, director of legisla-
tive affairs for Oakland Schools, won-
ders where the money will come from
to send kids to private schools.
"It would cost the state $700 mil-
lion to $1 billion," he said. "The only
way to pay for that would be to up
the sales tax or cut $1 billion out of
the public education system."
The public education budget is
around $10 billion, according to
Whiston, who also says that 98 per-
cent of kindergarten to 12th grade
students in Michigan are in public
schools.
Wendy Wagenheim of the
American Civil Liberties
Union/Michigan chapter, which has
long opposed vouchers, warned that
public schools would wither if they
continue to lose money.
"Tax credits and vouchers are basi-
cally the same kind of scheme," she
continued. "The money gets drained

Above: Students in the
hallway of Hillel at the
end of the day.

Right: Michael Greeley

Far right: Judy Goldsmith

Opposite page:
Stewart Plotnick finds out
how his daughter Jordana
enjoyed her day. in kinder-
garten.

education too, even though I send my
son to a private school."
Said Goldsmith, "I'm very happy
with Hillel and happy to give my
money here."
When Goldsmith's daughter, Molly,
gets to high school eight years from
now, "the money isn't the issue, it's
what the high school would offer. I
would send her to Berkley High
School now, but I'm not sure down
the road."
The principal of the 260-student
Akiva Hebrew Day School is far more
adamant in his support of tax credits
or vouchers.
Rabbi Karmi Gross recognizes the
value of public education, but says the
recognition has to go both ways.
"For a significant segment of the
population, public school isn't an
option," he said. "I don't think that
our values should be diffused with
others'. There is a certain accommoda-
tion that must be made for people
with differing needs, and this should
be supported by everyone.
"Why should we pay for their pub-
lic school education?"
Akiva's tuition ranges from $3,400
for kindergarten, to $6,000 for high
school.
Gross likens the situation to not
paying for students who have special
needs or need special education class-
es. "Jews, Christians, etcetera, have
special needs," he said. "It's the same
sort of idea." El

from the public schools in order to
give to_religious or other private edu-
cation. Budgets will have to get cut."
Glenn, however, said his plan would
actually mean more money for public
schools. The schools budget an average
of $5,600 per student, he said, with the
tax credit being capped at $2,800. "If
the child is removed from the school
classroom, the money remains unspent
in the state school aid fund."

A panel discussion on public
funding for private schools is set
for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3,
at the Kahn Jewish Community
Center in West Bloomfield.
Panelists will include: Maxine
Berman, former state representa-
tive; Wendy Wagenheim,
American Civil Liberties Union;
Rabbi E.B. Freedman, Hospice of
Southeastern Michigan; and
Bryan Grant Taylor, TEACH
Michigan. Call (248) 661-7631.

11/20

1998

Detroit Jewish News

7

