Semantics
Monday, May 18, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Chicago Tribune editorial board…
We’re still wondering whether Gov. JB Pritzker will opt into a new federal school choice program, and we know we’re not alone. The governor’s public messaging has ranged from bashing the program (and the president) to saying he just needs more time to consider the facts.
While he tries to buy more time, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office is now saying the governor is “supportive of the federal tax credit scholarship and its potential to help New York students and schools,” Chalkbeat reported last week. A Hochul spokesperson did tell Chalkbeat that they’re still waiting for information from the federal government on the full program details, and the Treasury Department reportedly is working on program guidelines ahead of the Jan. 1, 2027, deadline for states to opt in.
Signaling support isn’t the same thing as signing on the dotted line, but going on the record in this manner is a big deal, especially in a blue state. Hochul’s team surely understood the governor was opening herself up to attacks and a coordinated effort from teachers unions to stop her from making good on her support.
We view her positioning as cautious and courageous acceptance. Pritzker’s stance conveys mostly skepticism.
This is a semantics argument.
* New York Daily News…
Other Democratic governors, including Hochul, have said they are waiting on more information from the federal government before formally opting in, including if the dollars can be used to the benefit of public schools.
“I want to see what the regulations look like,” Hochul said at the news conference. “Because if it says something that’s detrimental to public schools — for example, saying none of this money can be used for a public school — that’s a big issue for me. That’s a big issue.”
The governor even suggested that teachers unions could become scholarship-granting nonprofits, though it’s unclear if labor organizations would meet federal statutory requirements for the tax-credit program. The program was billed by the Trump administration as an effort to promote school choice through what officials have dubbed the “Education Freedom Tax Credit.”
Nowhere in the Tribune editorial is Hochul’s actual stance explained.
There’s really no wisdom in opting-in until you see the fine print. But give Hochul credit for pointing the way toward gaining her support.
- Candy Dogood - Monday, May 18, 26 @ 10:45 am:
Conservatives has been spending the last, oh, couple of centuries now, making a very specific effort to make sure that they only paid for the “right” children to to to the “right” school to lean the “right” curriculum.
And for some reason, the “right” children are the white ones, the “right” schools are the ones run by bigots, and the “right” curriculum is one that reinforces whatever narrative the bigotry is.
- JS Mill - Monday, May 18, 26 @ 10:51 am:
So the tribbies argument is basically “everyone else is doing it”?
Let me know when they come out in support of universal health care.
- Steve - Monday, May 18, 26 @ 10:52 am:
- making a very specific effort to make sure that they only paid for the “right-
A rather tired old narrative. The New York Times suggests you check out Mississippi. Yes Mississippi.
https://archive.ph/hOwJQ
- Candy Dogood - Monday, May 18, 26 @ 11:20 am:
===A rather tired old narrative===
Would you like me to point out the logical fallacy you’re using to refute my position, or are you already aware of it?
What do you think Mississippi was doing — before — 2013?
- Think Again - Monday, May 18, 26 @ 11:29 am:
=There’s really no wisdom in opting-in until you see the fine print=
Totally agree- but the actual pattern in Springfield is the opposite - huge meaningful proposals and legislation that is not 100% ready for prime time - often has strong individual support, even though important details are not finalized until 2 hours before the session ends.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Monday, May 18, 26 @ 11:36 am:
I say no to all this. No tax benefits for private schools. If you want to send you kid to one, go ahead, no one is stopping you. But if you want me to help pay for it, no thanks….
- JS Mill - Monday, May 18, 26 @ 12:03 pm:
I remain a no as a person who believes in the 1st Amendment (in this case specifically the Establishment Clause of the 1st Amendment) as it is written and intended by the framers of the constitution.
=A rather tired old narrative.=
Don’t believe Candy? Why don’t you look at the US Dept of Ed “partners”? One of them is Hillsdale College they are advocates for the christian version of sharia law. Hillsdale also authored the 1776 curriculum, a literal whitewashing of history. Their list of partners reads like a list of those who want to go back the the “grand old days” of the 1930’s white America.
https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-afpi-tpusa-hillsdale-college-and-over-40-national-and-state-organizations-launch-america-250-civics-coalition
- Anyone Remember - Monday, May 18, 26 @ 12:26 pm:
Unless the private schools agree to accept and, out of their own resources, provide required services to IEPs, physically challenged, etc., this program should be an automatic NO.
- B - Monday, May 18, 26 @ 1:12 pm:
@Anyone Remember
Bingo.
- Jocko - Monday, May 18, 26 @ 2:39 pm:
==no wisdom in opting-in until you see the fine print.==
Meanwhile in Ohio, the AG is defending EdChoice vouchers saying, “The parents have a CHOICE in applying for the particular private school.”…naively assuming that students with health, behavior, or learning problems will be welcomed with open arms.
- Dotnonymous x - Monday, May 18, 26 @ 2:53 pm:
Candy Dogood with the exposé…Steve with the failed party line defense.
- Dotnonymous x - Monday, May 18, 26 @ 2:57 pm:
“Semantics” is just another word for manipulation/framing of the narrative?
- City Zen - Monday, May 18, 26 @ 3:43 pm:
==No tax benefits for private schools.==
So we’re cancelling the MAP program?
- Think Again - Monday, May 18, 26 @ 4:07 pm:
=No tax benefits for private schools=
No choice for parents and kids trapped in failing public schools. Fixed it for you.
- H-W - Monday, May 18, 26 @ 4:35 pm:
Re: Steve
When the best Republicans in Illinois have is, “we should be like Mississippi and Alabama and Louisiana and Arkansas, and even South Carolina,” Republicans in this state have lost any credibility whatsoever.
I do not want to be like Mississippi. I lived five minutes away when I lived in Slidell, LA and taught in New Orleans. I do not want to be like Louisiana or Arkansas or Alabama either, Steve. I came to Illinois after having lived among bigots with bad schools. The fact that they are shuffling among the worst schools does not make the good school.