Memo: Amendment 80 “Right to School Choice”

Colorado Catholic Conference

(Editor's Note: The following memo was issued by the Colorado Catholic Conference regarding Amendment 80 “Right to School Choice”, which the conference and Colorado Bishops support.)

Colorado Catholics have a moral obligation to support Amendment 80. While some well-intentioned partnering organizations are opposing Amendment 80 because of a misunderstanding in the proposed Amendment’s language, the Amendment clearly states the following: “parents have the right to direct the education of their children” and “children have the right to equal opportunity to access quality education” and “each K-12 student has the right to school choice” (defined as “neighborhood, charter, private, and home schools, open enrollment options, and future innovations in education”). The language intentionally uses the word “and” to imply that all of these rights and education options are equal and are not intended to contradict another.

Amendment 80 aligns with Catholic social teaching: to ensure that parents are permitted to select the best education option(s) for their children and each person of every age has a right to education. This includes using a portion of state funding for parents to direct to the learning option that best fits their conscience for their child’s education needs.

The Vatican II declaration on Christian education, Gravissimum Educationis (1965), states:

“Since all Christians have become by rebirth of water and the Holy Spirit a new creature, so that they should be called and should be children of God, they have a right to a Christian education... (GE 8)

Parents who have the primary and inalienable right and duty to educate their children must enjoy true liberty in their choice of schools. Consequently, the public power, which has the obligation to protect and defend the rights of citizens, must see to it, in its concern for distributive justice, that public subsidies are paid out in such a way that parents are truly free to choose according to their conscience the schools they want for their children.” (GE 19)

According to Catholic social teaching, all persons “every race, condition and age, since they enjoy the dignity of a human being, have an inalienable right to an education” (GE 4) The intent of Amendment 80 aligns with the authoritative teaching of the Catholic Church.

Furthermore, legal counsel for the initiative and the Catholic Conference has determined that Amendment 80 improves the legal landscape for future developments in the school choice arena.

If enacted, Amendment 80 will support the defense of parental rights and religious liberty in education, alongside U.S. Supreme Court decisions, Carson (2022) and Espinoza (2020).

School choice allows parents to choose the schooling option that best fits their children’s learning needs. Amendment 80 declares that all children have the right of a great education, regardless of their income level or zip-code and their parents have a right to direct that education.

The Colorado Bishops support Amendment 80 and encourage all Coloradans – especially Catholic Faithful – to vote Yes on 80 this election. Visit www.VoteYesOn80.com to learn more.