Free lunch, transgender athletes: Voters nationwide face major education decisions

Voters across the country are making big decisions about the education of their children at a local, state and federal level in this year’s midterms.

Ballot initiatives, school board elections, governor races and Senate spots are all on the line as parents head to the polls thinking about AI, school choice and what topics should be taught or read in classrooms.

According to Education Week, there are 34 ballot initiatives across 17 states that affect education or its funding, nine states will be choosing new state board of education members, eight have state superintendent races and 36 states have gubernatorial races for parents to vote in.  

“Every American, deserves a good education, regardless of whether or not the public school system or the teachers’ unions or whoever wants to keep them trapped in failing institutions … We’re going to continue fighting for educational freedom and larger parental control in the education system,” said Doug Blair, press manager for Heritage Action, the lobbying arm of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. 

Blair added Heritage Action will focus on “fighting for school choice” this midterm.

In four states, Colorado, Washington, Arizona and Nebraska, voters will decide whether to create or expand bans on transgender girls and women playing on female sports teams.  

Alabama, meanwhile, is asking voters to decide if the Pledge of Allegiance should be required daily, along with an optional student-led prayer, and if schools should be required to play or have a performance of the first stanza of the “Star-Spangled Banner” at least once a week during school hours. 

Arizona voters will........

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