Here are a few more resources to fuel the discussion on school choice from a website of resources for the PBS show Frontline when they did a special on the subject.
In particular, here is a set of interviews with proponents of school choice, and then here is a page with interviews with opponents of school choice.
In your posts be sure to reference the article or provide links to what you are commenting on so people know how to go to the source to respond.
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8 comments:
I think the school choice voucher system is a good idea because it would reimburse parents who do not want to send their children to the public school in their district and allow them financial opportunity to put their kids in private school. This program would allow families of lesser means to take advantage of private education, giving their children more opportunity for their educational futures. However, this system could overwhelm the demand for private schooling, and with only 10% of students currently attending private schools, there would be a significant need to build more schools. Taking money from schools with lesser demand to attend in order to give more money to expanding schools would make those schools even less attractive to potential students and parents because their resources would decline due to lack of funding. However, I think the fear of losing resources and students might give incentive to schools to raise their test scores, lower class sizes, and offer more opportunities for the students. A very valid argument against the voucher system is the fact that most students using the program would probably move to private religious schools because they are cheaper (and they could get a private education essentially for free with the voucher). This creates a problem, as is in the case of the current Cleveland system (in which most participants—4000—are black and attend Catholic schools with intensely religious curricula), of the separation of church and state, a first amendment right to the Constitution. By having taxpayer dollars funding students attending religious schools, the first amendment right is violated. The source of the money from strictly privately funded to partially government funded (through taxes) might also change some of the policies these formerly “independent” schools could uphold. Whereas right now we at Walker can talk about evolution and say the pledge of allegiance without any uproar because we are privately funded, what might happen if some of our funding came from the government? Would we then be subject to such policies as public schools?
--Sarah O'Donohue
I have to disagree. I think that the school vouchers are good in theory; however, I feel as if a program like this would have too many flaws to be successful. I feel as if you should focus tax money on improving schools instead of just walking away from them and forcing those who do not get their first choices or do not test into a particular school. By using a system like this, students who do not meet academic requirements are forced into the worst schools. In a system where you can not choose the school, it forces the tax money to be distributed to the schools which need the money the most.
-Veronica!
I don’t think any of us can say that the current educational system--and more specifically, the public school system--in the United States is faultless (after all, we are at a private school…). But I do see its advantages, along with the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed voucher system. The voucher system, in theory, seems like the perfect solution to the public school system’s most prevalent problems: the exorbitant class size, failing academics, and ineffective teachers rampant in many areas (especially in inner-city districts) that families are forced into, thereby trapping students with high potential into a cycle of underachievement. If families had the ability and money to choose whether they wanted a public, parochial, or nonsectarian private school, their children could theoretically be placed where they would perform the best at what they and their families hold most important (whether that be academics or even a particular sport or program, like drama). If a child held real potential as a lacrosse player, they would thrive at a school with a state champion lacrosse team rather than at one with only a Lacrosse Club or no lacrosse at all. Or, if they had a learning disability like ADD, their parents could place them in a school with small class sizes and more teachers that have experience in helping such children. Private schools would become a less exclusive concept, and students who might have otherwise been unable to attend one due to finances could have the increased opportunities it could provide.
But on the other hand, school vouchers could place undue strain on the entire system and dramatically lower schools’ overall quality. I agree with Sarah on the point that if families are left to choose schools on their own, schools purported to be “failing” in academics or other areas will likely be left entirely bereft of the few teachers and bright students who raised the quality level at least a little. However, though her postulation regarding the responses of schools to the voucher system (increased pressure to perform highly) seems correct in theory, I think that it could prove impossible for the failing schools (which need to improve more than any others) to realize. If the voucher system was implemented, demand for good schools would dramatically increase, while supply would remain constant. Therefore, a scarcity of good schools would be widespread and some people (whether their first choice of school had been already filled or they had just failed to register early) would inevitably be relegated to those newly decrepit schools, making both the students and the schools even worse off than they had been before the new system was implemented. Or, like Veronica said, if the ability to get into the “best” schools was at all merit-based (like Mr. Arjona mentioned about Boston Latin School) then those who didn’t perform well would be basically left behind. And, what’s more, there is nothing to prove that schools that find that, under a voucher system, they can attract the most kids via their, for instance, drama program, will not put so much money and effort into just that program that their academics (the main point of school in the first place) suffer--ultimately creating a system just as unbalanced as some argue that ours is today and that most definitely defeats the actual purpose of school vouchers.
Tonight ABC World News reported that only a third of students in American middle schools are performing at their grade level in reading, math, and science. That is an alarming statistic, for our children are the future of our nation. Whether we form a plan to fix the existing system or to create an entirely new one, something must unquestionably be done.
-Nicole
the advantage of a school being public (currently) is funding from the government. Private schools have much more autonomy. They get to make their own rules, and set their own policies. They also are exempt from government policies and rules. for example, as a private school walker could make school prayer mandatory. No public school could say the same. However, if the voucher system were put into place, schools would no longer be directly dependent on the government for funds. Instead, they would be directly dependent on potential students and only indirectly dependent on the government. Schools would have no insentive to remain public. With the voucher system, public schools could convert to being private and still get the necessary funds from students. many public schools would potentially become private so that they could make their own rules. This policy might be the death of public schools.
that last one posted without a name at like 9 25 was from me (jacob Hormes)
I think that all of you are forgetting about one very important aspect of public education-the bus system. the majority of kids in public schools, primarily in 9th and 10th grade, take the bus to school everyday. if the voucher policy were implemented then a bus system could not possibly run smoothly. kids from all over would be going to the same school much like how walker is. a bus system could not possibly pick up that many kids in that many different areas. there would have to be a voluminous amount of buses and that would alsoo cost lots of money in diesel and drivers. I think a huge reason that public schools have districts is to provide an ease of use for the bus system. Many kids cannot afford cars either and are forced to take the bus or carpool in the current system. If kids could choose schools then schools would be spread out and it would also be more difficult to find a carpool. I also agree with jacob with the fact on the prayer and religious stuff. If all schools essentially went public then what would happen to the independence of the private schools? Nobody could express religious opinions, pledge of allegiance, or pray in school. Many parents send their kids to private schools for that very reason. I think that some of the voucher schools must retain some of their private school policies in order for the system to be efficient. I also agree with nicole on the fac that the best teachers would probably flock to the bigger schools that are more popular because they would be receiving more funds. With more funds comes better eqipment and i dont know a teacher who wouldnt want better teaching equipment and newer things in the classroom. I think in the long run the coucher system would turn into the system that we already have with the exception of the districts because the popular schools would end up dominating the system. The smaller schools would then turn into the more private schools because of the class sizes. The only difference would be the advantage of having a voucher. Like Drew said today, athletes would also go to the schools with the better sports and it would be a monopoly for a school over others. This is a huge problem that is constantly being cracked down on today. Athletics provide such a huge part of a schools income and has to be seriosuly thought about. I dont think the voucher system would work quite as well as people think because people naturally group together and separate. Just look at the lunch tables at Walker...
-Austin Lintault
Well the way i see is that compettion is a good thing and this voucher idea would work. We see this voucher system work in our college system. Its my belief that instead of the government paying for education indirectly we the people should. Instead of vouchers there should be a tax break system where we pay for the school and in return our income tax would have a cut in it. this means people who make less money will still be able to pay for better education because the income tax break would help them. Just an alternative idea rather than agreeing or disagreeing.
-Wiles
oh yeah i used the "here in particular" link.
-Austin Lintault
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