Wrong turn: Ending driver's education in public schools a reckless move

Just when you thought it was safe to take your eyes off the legislature.

The newest piece of misguided thrift comes in the form of a proposal to end funding for driver's education.

The idea is to move the training to the state's community colleges and out of the public schools.

OK, not so bad, right?

But here's the kicker -- what used to cost about $65 will now cost about $400.

It is not hard to see the short-sightedness in that move.

Yes, it saves dollars.

Yes, it would eliminate one more distraction from the schools' calendars and one more drain on public schools' budgets.

Yes, it makes it look like the state is focusing squarely on funds for classrooms, not extras.

But let's look at an aspect of the decision that some in the statehouse might not have actually taken the time to consider -- consequences.

So, we offer driver's education only to those who can afford the $400 fee -- which, let's be honest, is not that many families, especially if they are going to have more than one teen who needs it.

That means we have that many more people on the roads who not only don't have any formal training in driving, but who also have little experience on the road as well.

And that combination can only result in one outcome: more accidents and more cost.

One of the hallmarks of bad decision-making is myopia. And over the last few years, there have been plenty of examples of such in the General Assembly.

And just so you Democrats won't feel left out, there were some humdingers during your tenure as well.

When a party or legislature gets too focused on one task -- in this case, cutting the budget -- sometimes it is hard to see the forest for the trees.

In other words, the only thing that matters is that lower final number for the year's spending or a possibility of a lower tax rate.

The consequences? Not so much.

We have said it before and we will say it again -- there is not an unlimited pool of money and there will have to be some cuts in this state to keep the budget balanced. And, we will have to set priorities to keep taxes at a reasonable rate in this state.

Better schools and higher graduation rates and any expenditures that further those ends should be tops on the list.

But there are times when a cut is not a savings -- and when the unintended result is not what is best for the state.

This is one of those times.

We want more people, not fewer, learning how to be safer on the road. There are already enough people who are nothing short of hazards on the highway. And while many of them are already full-fledged licensed adult drivers, there are many teens who have no business on the road.

Providing driver's education -- at a reasonable cost, which is not $400 by the way -- is a good decision. It keeps everyone safer and lessens the chance of a tragedy.

That means driver's education funding is not a waste of money.

Still want to cut back? Look elsewhere.

Published in Editorials on July 6, 2015 10:50 AM