Measure to enshrine education as right in state constitution challenged as 'deceptive and prejudicial'
Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins must rewrite a ballot summary after a county judge found the original language potentially misleading.
A Cole County judge has dealt a blow to Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, ordering him to rewrite the ballot summary for an education-focused constitutional amendment after finding his original language misleading and legally unfounded.
The proposed amendment would add a brief phrase to the Missouri Constitution making education a “fundamental right” and obligating the state to fund “adequate, thorough, and uniform high-quality free public schools.” But Hoskins’ ballot summary warned that the amendment could eliminate scholarship programs and restrict support for alternatives to public education.
Judge Christopher Limbaugh struck down the summary according to The Missouri Independent, ruling that Hoskins’ language overstated potential consequences.
Limbaugh noted that claims of lost scholarships or banned school choice options are speculative at best and would depend on future court rulings, not the amendment itself.
The Missouri Right to Education Initiative, which backs the amendment, accused Hoskins of injecting partisan framing into a nonpartisan measure. Supporters say the proposal is about accountability and ensuring every Missouri student has access to well-funded public education.
The initiative called Hoskins’ measure “deceptive and prejudicial.”
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Hoskins has until December 8 to produce new ballot language.
Meanwhile, education advocates say the ruling is a win for clarity and fairness in Missouri’s ballot process. The outcome may also influence future battles over how education is framed and funded in the state’s constitution.
