Coherent Arguements For/Against School Vouchers

[GiovanniC]

This is an issue that I know is near and dear to the hearts of many Democrats, specifically those involved in the education system. But it's not something that I've ever completely understood.

Most Dems, I believe, are against vouchers. I gather that it has something to do with money being taken out of public schools and sent to private schools? Is this issue related to charter schools or is that an entirely different animal?

I'd just like to have a coherent position on this issue and wondered what the arguments for/against were.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Read this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1675688#1675738

[salin]

2. The devil is in the detail of Voucher proposals

even beyond the school funding issues (which are real - and others can address) are a number of equity issues.

1. Generally vouchers only cover part of tuition - so schools can take vouchers, but raise tuition thus keeping "undesirable" students (eg lower income) out. Thus it cuts costs to the wealthy - but provides no new educational alternatives to others.

2. Generally voucher programs do not require schools that use vouchers to accept any student who applies - as is required by public schools. The policy is understandable in a private system, but it does not provide equal access of opportunity - which is something the public schools are in place to theoretically provide. In addition a consequence is a concern of "creaming" where the best (bright, well behaved, with involved parents) students leave the public system and are accepted into the voucher private schools, while the most challenging students become even more concentrated in the public schools (now add the first challenge of draining resources to those public schools due to the voucher program - and you have less money to serve the most challenging students.)

3. Some voucher programs do not give schools "partial vouchers" - but full the full voucher - so if a student is put out of school (expelled) or leaves voluntarily - the money may remain at the private school - and if the student returns to a public system - the money does not follow the student back to the public school.

These are just a few concerns from a social justice/equity of opportunity perspective that prevent me from being supportive of voucher type programs. They really do not seem to open opportunities for those students who may have the greatest needs.

[fdr_hst_fan]

3. School vouchers are another way, like tax cuts for the wealthy 1%,

Repukes take YOUR money and give it to the ones that don't deserve it-the RICH bastards that want to send their kids to snob schools (and cushy positions in the National Guard), but don't want to pay the tab themselves. I firmly believe that if you want to send your kid to a private school, please do-I wouldn't want my kid exposed to your little snob anyway. However, it's YOUR responsibility to pony up for it, not MINE. That's what Repukes want: snob schools to train an elite to lord over the ones who can't afford such an education.