Who wouldn’t support providing preschool opportunities for all children who need it? Sounds like a no-brainer. Yet Proposition 82, “Preschool for All,” is so flawed as to merit rejection. Here’s why many private preschool providers oppose Prop 82:

• Prop 82 creates a “one-size-fits-all” secular program. Faith providers who are unwilling to compromise their mission and philosophy for three hours every day, one hundred eighty days per year, will be excluded.

• Many providers, both religious and secular, fear they will be put out of business if they cannot comply with the new rules, or choose not to participate. This has already happened to at least two Adventist pre-schools in California.

• Prop 82 would be a huge subsidy for middle and upper class families, at taxpayer expense, and is not targeted to those families most in need. All children would be eligible regardless of family income.

• Many faith-based providers are concerned that private, independent preschools will be absorbed into public school districts, and accountable to county superintendents.

• Mandated curricula aligned with statewide standards for elementary education are likely to result in inflexible curricula and testing.

• Although the current system is voluntary, the stated intent is to provide universal preschool for all ages, beginning with infants. Some fear that universal preschool will not remain voluntary.

If you are beginning to see how Prop 82 threatens religious preschool providers, you’re on the right track. Adventist preschools will be forced to conform to secular, state standards and curriculum, or risk closing down. Many families will choose the free, state-subsidized preschool alternative to a costly Christian preschool. Under a universal preschool system, it is expected that in the future, schools will be required to comply with non-discrimination rules regarding employment, losing the freedom to hire teachers who share the faith of the sponsoring religion.

We have been battling against lowering the age of compulsory education to five-year-olds for more than a decade. Clearly, public education advocates will continue to press for earlier and earlier compulsory education.

Preschool education is already heavily subsidized for families with financial need. Existing state and federal funding programs do not dictate curriculum content, mandate a secular program, or infringe on program autonomy. Parental freedom of choice is preserved. This is essential to any sound system of subsidized preschool. Prop 82 is simply not sound. Those who care about the future of our children and families are urged, not simply to reject Prop 82, but to work to defeat it.