Democrat Ann Mah says School Choice could lead to "segregation" and parents buying "latte machines"

Article/Education - 3 minute read

Kansas State Board of Education District 4 Ann Mah (D) debated Kansas Economist Michael Austin (R) on the topic of school choice on KSNT 27 News Inside Kansas Politics. The debate aired Monday, January 30, 2023, where both sides had some arguably interesting things to say.

Mah was speaking against school choice while Austin was speaking for school choice. During the week of January 30, Austin was releasing clips of the questions they answered from the debate to his Facebook page.

“School vouchers, scholarships, whatever you want to call it, increases segregation,” Mah said during the debate. “There’s no evidence that this actually works. That if you take kids—the good performing kids—and put them off in private schools that scores of both go up. That boggles the mind that that even works.”

Austin, who is Black, immediately claimed that Mah’s statements were untrue.

“In my pocket, right here, I have a book with about 20 different citations of either integration in schools increasing because of school choice and education freedom, of test scores improving, and of course, as I said before, of teachers being well off,” Austin said. “One point I really want to get at, and I think it’s a bit insulting, is when we talk about segregation—school zones are segregation. School zones that we have right now that are limiting students from leaving from one area to another simply because of where they live has been used by white supremacists back in the 60s, and it’s a relic of a bygone era that still exists today.”

In another question regarding what happens to lower income schools that students leave for higher income schools, Austin starts with a comment.

“This entire conversation has really been about… not left versus right, but really parents versus those who think they know better than parents. Against those who think that they know their children better than their own parents. I think that’s an idea that’s honestly insulting.”

Austin proceeded to answer the question, stating, “When we’re talking about what happens with schools, I think it depends on the program, but what we’re also seeing with the bill that’s being considered here in Kansas—it wants to benefit both the students that stay and the students that decide to go. Research studies have shown that if you decide to put education freedom in a particular state, test scores for both the students that remain and the students that decide to go seem to grow appreciably. Not only that, you see wages go up for teachers. You see parents have a better satisfaction. The only people who are upset are those who are afraid their powers are going to be diminished.”

It was with his last sentence that Austin leaned over and touched Mah’s chair.

“I think that’s just a bunch of hooey,” Mah fired back. “I’d like to see that study because there is absolutely no evidence that low income kids actually do any better...”

Austin interjected, “I provided seven.”

“…in these private schools than they do in public school,” Mah said. “You know, we have some great public schools here, and what parents want—they’re not crying for these vouchers, scholarship programs, and the money does go to the school. It’s not supporting…”

“That is not true,” Austin interrupts again.

“…The bill you’re proposing may send the money straight to the parents so they can maybe go by a latte machine…” Mah said to Austin.

Austin spoke again, saying “Don’t insult parents.”

To watch the full interview, click here (begin at 13 minute mark).