2 School Districts Oppose Initiative

Thousand Oaks and Oxnard school officials have voted to oppose a state ballot initiative that would give students tax money for tuition if they choose to attend a private school.

The board of the Conejo Valley Unified School District passed a resolution against the measure Thursday, while Oxnard board members took their public stand a day earlier.

Even if no students transferred from public schools to private, the district would lose about 10% of its budget, based on the number of students already enrolled in private school, Thousand Oaks board member Dolores Didio said.

Supporters of Proposition 174, slated for the Nov. 2 ballot, say it will give parents a say in their children’s education and force public schools to improve through competition.

But Oxnard Supt. Norman Brekke said he feared much of the support for the initiative would come from people who were simply dissatisfied with the present system.