I agree, both for the reason you cited and the fact that if you have to sacrifice to pay for the private school, you will care more than if you have part or all of it paid for by the taxpayers. I send my son to private school, and it may sound snobbish, but I don't want kids there whose parents aren't willing to write the check themselves. Does that mean some poor kids that would be good additions to the school can't afford it? Yep. But most families could afford it by giving up the Disney vacations and new cars every three years.
A better solution would be to end all public funding of schools. You made 'em, you educate 'em.
I totally agree with everything you say. There are a lot of reasons to oppose vouchers under the type of government we now have and are likely to have in the foreseeable future, no matter if the left or the putative “right” is in power.
And those schools are perfectly capable of offering scholarships or free or reduced tuition of their own volition, locally, and under their own control and rules, without any input from government. This is a perfect example of “I’m from the government and I’m here to help”, which is the death knell to liberty. Plus, when the schools do it, they can vet the students, as is and should be their right, to avoid problems which will disrupt the school, and disrupt the right the of other students (whose parents are paying big money and possibly making real sacrifices, as you pointed out), to have their children be there and actually learn.
I really believe though, that the only way to avoid government meddling in a child’s education, is to homeschool, and even there, the states have varying levels of government oversight.