It's dangerous to talk just to yourself. That's the trap that a bunch of groups that want more money for public schools have fallen into.
The coalition - which calls itself Getting It Right for Ohio's Future - announced recently that it would try to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would guarantee Ohio children a "fundamental right" to a "high-quality public education."
How can something that sounds so sensible be so wrong? The madness is in the fine print. The measure - if backers can collect the 402,000 signatures to put it on the ballot - would require state lawmakers to spend what the 19-member state school board says is necessary for a "high-quality" education, never mind any of the state's other priorities. Essentially, schools would get all that their advocates say they need, and everyone else would have to make do with the money that's left over.
There is one out. State lawmakers - if they voted by a three-fifths majority - could allot less than the school board recommended. But if they did, their decision then could be appealed directly to the Ohio Supreme Court.
In evaluating whether schools were getting their due, the justices would have to decide whether the money was adequate to ensure a "fundamental right." That phrase means different things to different people, but, in law, it equates with guarantees as important as free speech. Judges should not be deciding whether the state is appropriating precisely the money it takes to provide a good education. Everyone knows that's a judgment call.
All of the leaders of this campaign are associated with schools. They believe that schools always are hurting for money to one degree or another. They want that fixed, and changing the Constitution seems a sure-fire way.
But since money isn't unlimited, either state taxes would have to go up in unspecified ways, or state spending on other services would have to be cut. Voters wouldn't know precisely what they're voting for under this proposal.
The Getting It Right for Ohio's Future campaign is about taking the responsibility for funding schools away from the politicians. While there's much to criticize politicians for, they still are the right people to be making this call. Voters can hold them accountable.
The amendment's backers need to get out more. They'll find that informed people are sure this idea does not get it right.