by Craig Thompson
"Next in importance to freedom and justice is popular education, without which neither freedom nor justice can be permanently maintained" -- James A. Garfield, July 12, 1880
The many important issues surrounding the education of our children have been on the screens of activists, politicians and parents for years. Many have attempted to develop or suggest various remedies, only to find them difficult to fund or impossible to implement. Recently, the idea of a tax-payer supported voucher system for children in urban schools has gained a broad base of support. Jurisdictions such as Milwaukee, Ohio, Florida and Maine have established voucher programs over the past few years, and many people and organizations, both conservative and liberal, have expressed support for these programs.
The idea, they say, is simple: offer vouchers to low-income parents with children in failing school districts, and allow them to send their children to private and/ or parochial schools. Supporters argue that a successful voucher system will not only provide more students with opportunities for a better education, but it will force the public school system to become more efficient, effective and competitive. What could be more ideal, right?
What supporters of these programs fail to recognize or accept is that the voucher system is designed to fail. The public school system, although in need of a serious boost of adrenaline, is not dead. In fact, recent reports suggest that children in the U.S., overall, are among the best educated in the world.
Many low-income families face numerous pressures and challenges as they attempt to educate their children. The push for a mass social-experiment known as the voucher system will do absolutely nothing to change the social conditions which lead to failing schools and failing students. In addition, the vouchers will not assist parents with the additional costs required to have their children "fit in" and succeed in these schools. Most importantly, the voucher system will potentially assist only a handful of students, who, in most cases, succeed in school anyway. We have to remember that private and parochial schools are extremely competitive, and only a select number of students are accepted each year.
What will happen to the hundreds of thousands of students left behind in the public school system each year? What will happen to the neighborhoods from which these "chosen" students come? What will happen to the tax payers who are already paying for public education, and will be saddled with being "double taxed" for voucher payments? What will happen to the spirit of the U.S. Constitution, which makes it clear that a separation exists between church and state - and now supports public funding of religious schools, but still disallows prayer in public schools? (This one makes you go, hmmm)
We can never argue that parents should not have opportunities to provide the best for their children. In fact, I strongly believe that ALL parents deserve that right! That is why our emphasis should continue to be on making the public school system the best it can be, and utilize all available resources, public and private, to make it a reality. The voucher system proposed by conservatives and accepted by others is an idea whose time should not come. If our schools are to be what they can for our young people, we need to commit ourselves to making them better for all of our children.
Craig Thompson is an attorney, lecturer, writer and host of weekly radio and television shows. At age 32, Craig is a highly sought after public speaker, addressing topics such as leadership, goal setting and self-esteem. He has spoken across the country at churches, schools, colleges and to civic organizations. He can be reached at cathompson42001@yahoo.com
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