Private School Vouchers will not Improve American Education

On November 6, Utah will be voting on a private school voucher referendum. The result will be a test case for other states. I am against private school vouchers for several reasons.

1. Public money could be used to fund for-profit schools in which case the public money redistributes money upward from low-income families to private, profit-making institutions and is therefore a regressive mechanism as I have previously described on this blog.

2. It violates the principle of separation of church and state. The public will be asked to fund schools teaching religious views that differ or clash with their own and effectively permits the public establishment of religion. Previously, schools with religious components have applied for public charter status and been denied. They should continue to be denied for the same reasons.

3. Public schools especially in Utah already have many options of "choice." There are multiple charter schools with different emphases and approaches to education. There is an "open classroom" which enables parents to take an active classroom roll in children's education. I am in favor of funding the public system to expand these "alternatives within the system." Parents can also apply to public schools other than the on in their neighborhood and will be admitted as space allows. We also need to maintain programs high quality in art, music, literature, social science, history, science, math, experiential learning, democratic classrooms, student initiated learning projects, and developing critical thinking and research methods.

4. Parents can participate in PTA meetings and express their concerns and ideas for children's education and welfare in public schools. Public schools permit this kind of democratic interaction. Private schools are not required to do so.

5. Private schools need not be accredited and teachers are not required to have any particular educational background. While some have argued that certain types of home schooling amount to the denial of the right of children to an education, it should be clear that tax dollars should not be spent NOT educating children.

6. Private schools of merit can and should offer scholarships to students who meet their requirements.

7. Private schools are permitted to discriminate on the basis of achievement, religious background, against special needs. Public schools are mandated to serve all of our children. Even a child with a voucher would not be permitted to enter a private school which denies him or her entry.

8. Public schools enhance citizenship by encouraging interactions among populations of diverse culture, religous background, ability, political reasoning etc...Children learn to think of themselves as citizens of a democracy in addition to their other affiliations instead of reinforcing subgroup identities as primary and entrenched.

9. Vouchers would take funding away from the most successful programs in public schools. A recent study showed that the best indicators of quality high school education and highest college admissions was whether or not a district offered International Baccalaureate diplomas and Advanced Placement classes. The IB program can only operate in a school system of adequate size as it draws students out of multiple schools. It is critical to maintain this program if students are to move on to excellent colleges in sufficient and increasing numbers.