Vouchers do have a role to play as a supplement to public education. If there is a private school that offers (a non religious based) program that a parent feels would benefit their child why not. Vouchers however shouldn’t be given away just because someone dislikes their public school; for those people there are private schools which they can pay for or homeschooling. I don’t get how the right screams about welfare and the nanny state but then pleads for the state to supplement them to send their children to private schools.
The buyer should also beware because private schools don’t have the same accountability as public schools and studies bare out, the same quality and rigor and yes I do realize there are some excellent private schools but the problem is people think Boles when they think private school not the fly by night school in the strip mall. Vouchers also drain much needed resources from public schools.
Then the fact Florida is rife with well documented fraud in their voucher program has to be a concern. Sadly instead of addressing it the state just seems more interested in expanding voucher programs.
Finally I completely understand how parent choice sounds attractive but in Florida vouchers are not about offering parents a choice it is about privatizing public education and filling the pockets of legislators and corporate interests who are more concerned with the bottom line than our children’s education.
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