LA Times Says NO on Prop 82

This may or may not be a coup but it is certainly a huge boost to those of us struggling to keep Meathead's mitts off the fridge.

.......Proposition 82, the initiative on the June 6 ballot that would provide preschool free of charge to every 4-year-old in California, has a defect common to most initiatives: It's so poorly designed that it could do more harm than good. Californians should vote no on Proposition 82.

The initiative would set up a cumbersome bureaucracy and place it under the state Department of Education, which has done a disappointing job with K-12 schools. It would make taxpayer-funded preschool available to middle-class and rich families, which can easily afford it. It could worsen the teacher shortage by draining public schools of qualified teachers. And though the initiative allows private preschools to become part of the system, it's written in such a way to favor programs at public schools.

In order to pay for 25,000 to 50,000 additional children in preschool, taxpayers would foot the bill for the 325,000 other 4-year-olds already in preschool. That's partly why the measure is so expensive.

Whole story here (registration may be required)

Now, I've got to run off to Indio and crash a press conference.