School Vouchers a Bad Idea

Report Abuse
 

I think they are a great idea. Maybe then our public school system will sit up and take notice.

 

Report Abuse
 

School vouchers are a bad idea for 'bad schools'. With vouchers, bad schools would either get better or they would close down. Sounds like something based on the way ... Read More 

School vouchers are a bad idea for 'bad schools'. With vouchers, bad schools would either get better or they would close down. Sounds like something based on the way we have lived for over 200 years in a competitive environment.

 

Report Abuse
 

.... "Taking government money to support religious schools will inevitably bring unwelcome government intrusion". .... Taking my money to fund designated public ... Read More 

.... "Taking government money to support religious schools will inevitably bring unwelcome government intrusion". .... Taking my money to fund designated public schools, instead of funding the school I choose my child to attend is unwelcome government intrusion. When will people get it through their heads?! It is not the Governemnt's money! local, State, Fed, etc. It's the citizen's money. It's my money, my neigbor's money. Not the Mayor's moneys, the president's etc.

 

Report Abuse
 

Eric you need to be honest. You don’t use facts but rather make blanket false statements. Eric you said, “we need to be honest. We must begin by acknowledging that vouchers ... Read More 

Eric you need to be honest. You don’t use facts but rather make blanket false statements. Eric you said, “we need to be honest. We must begin by acknowledging that vouchers do nothing to improve public education.”

Well, Eric let us rational people look at the facts. The D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program (DCOSP) is just one example an improvement by a voucher program. From the Department of Education Report, Evaluation of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program; The Program significantly improved students’ chances of graduating from high school. Although students may not have raised their test scores in reading and math as a result of the OSP, they graduated at higher rates. 91 percent of DCOSP students graduate high school, compared to only 70 percent of their peers with similar characteristics. (Contrast this with the 56 percent graduation rate at D.C. public schools. The number one reason parents did not use voucher program – no space in the school.

If you are so incline to embrace intellectual discovery, might I suggest you read the report http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20104018/pdf/20104019.pdf
Most of us educated or at least those with inquiring mind have a strong desire for kids to graduate high school and while there use and develop intellectual discovery and rational debate. There are two kinds of statements to support an argument in a debate 1) based on rational statistical debate and 2) on rational argument based on the human experience which is overused and misused by the folks on the left like you.

I would suggest if I used the second argument it could be easily pointed out that artificial barriers to education like teacher unions impede learning; non-responsive and bloated Public School administrations have no incentive to make the schools better and; the cost for secondary education has increased 25% in the past ten years (see http://nces.ed.gov/FastFacts/display.asp?id=66). The end result being your argument is counter-intuitive. However, your objective is not to win on the merits of the data or rational presentation of ideas but to win using the old adage a lie told over and over will result in low information people believing it to be true. Therefore, your hidden agenda is to ensure students do not graduate and/or use intellectual discovery and debate to make informed opinion and decisions. We call these people like you liberals.

 

Report Abuse
 

I think school vouchers would be outstanding, I think if familes want to home school they should keep the money. That right there is the one sure way to acheive the best ... Read More 

I think school vouchers would be outstanding, I think if familes want to home school they should keep the money. That right there is the one sure way to acheive the best education at the best cost.

 

Report Abuse
 

In reference to the private religious schools, the
main obstacle to being able to fill the void is not
the quality of the instruction but the number and
size of the facilities. ... Read More 

In reference to the private religious schools, the
main obstacle to being able to fill the void is not
the quality of the instruction but the number and
size of the facilities. In an ideal world, there
would be several church schools in each community.
Vouchers may be a tool to bring this about.
My great grand daughter attends the North Hills
Preparatory school which is nationally ranked. Her
younger sister will be starting Kindergarten the
coming year. Lottery preference is given to siblings.
The North Hills school is a charter school and
admittance is based on a lottery system. Each parent
is expected to donate $500.00 per year. I think that
some fulfill this requirement by volunteering as
traffic police and other duties. I think that they
have a waiting list of about 2500. I drive about 33
miles a day to pick her up as both parents and grand
parents work.
I have another great grand daughter by another
grand child who has applied to a new Uplift school
in South Irving which is the same organization that
runs North Hills. So far, she had not won a place
in the lottery. It is a shame that a child has to
depend on a quality education on the luck of a
lottery draw.

 

Report Abuse
 

Agree with Prairie. But would add that private religious schools can go a long way toward providing that quality education if they just had a bit of an easier time. We just ... Read More 

Agree with Prairie. But would add that private religious schools can go a long way toward providing that quality education if they just had a bit of an easier time. We just had a fundraiser for Sacred Heart School in Floresville last night. That's the only way we can keep it open at this point, as most of the parents sending their children there are barely able to afford the tuition, which is set intentionally low to accommodate them. And I can't speak for all private schools, but I know Sacred Heart accepts all students and often have those who need special attention coming after they fall through the crack in the public school system. Something needs to change.

 

Report Abuse
 

According to a WAPO article listing the top twenty
schools in the nation, Texas is home to seven of
those schools. Of the seven, four are charter schools
Another one ... Read More 

According to a WAPO article listing the top twenty
schools in the nation, Texas is home to seven of
those schools. Of the seven, four are charter schools
Another one only accepts gifted and talented students and
tops the list. Perhaps our focus should be the expansion
of charter schools which has an open enrollment policy
and usually use a lottery system due to the demand.
Thousand of aspiring students are on the waiting lists
of these charter schools.
I don't think that private religious schools can
fill the void.

 

Report Abuse
 

Texans speak out for school choice. Video posted by Americans for Prosperity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O49PwEEgL9k&feature=youtu.be

 

Report Abuse
 

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment
of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
................................................
...........

Liberals ... Read More 

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment
of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
................................................
...........

Liberals seem to never read part about not prohibiting
the free exercise of religion.
This whole discussion about the separation of
church and state is silly. Pray tell, who maintains
the infrastructure serving the churches. you know
the streets, sewer, drainage, etc ? The state also
furnishes police and fire protection.
If the churches would rise up in civil disobedience.
this issue would soon be put to rest. As long as
the church remains on the sideline, these attacks will
continue.