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Posted on 04/24/2006 4:34:30 AM PDT by Tribune7
Our (Pennsylvania) state legislators can lower our school taxes simply by shaking off the shackles placed there by the powerful teachers' union and approving school vouchers.
If parents are given a chance to select a low-cost option, homeowners would benefit because school districts would be forced to reduce taxes. Say the average cost of educating a pupil is $10,000 a year. Give the parents a $3,000 voucher and there will be a saving of $7,000 for everyone who has taken advantage of it.
So far, the only discussion about school finance is how to raise more money, most of which goes to teachers' salaries and benefits. There are other expenses too -- costly buildings, equipment and buses come to mind.
Let's think of ways to spend less and get more for the dollar.
* * *
The Republicans in Harrisburg recently passed a bill, which would call for voters to show a form of official ID or a utility bill.
Another bill would end Philadelphia's wacky system of putting some 900 polling places in such places as bars, abandoned buildings and offices of local politicians.
(Excerpt) Read more at zwire.com ...
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What the beast eats it will continue to eat.
Lower costs and they will find a number of places that require more funding.
Libertarian ping! To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.
Vouchers would just stretch the arm of government into private schools, too.
And $3000 vouchers? Dismantle the whole system. You can all educate your kids far more inexpensively buying books and materials on the free market, or just use your public library if you can't afford anything.
Exactly! I'm sad to see good people like Walter Williams still clinging to the voucher shell game. It's just more Al Gorish "Let's Make Government Work Better!" futility.
Vouchers would just stretch the arm of government into private schools, too.
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I agree, but I look at is as the first politically possible step towards total dismantlemnt of the government school system. Unfortuntely, I don't think people would take kindly to eliminating all state education tommorrow.
First we need competition, charter schools are preferable over vouchers, although they are sort of the same thing, depedning how they are defined, for ex: if all private schools are considered charter schools.
Then after people get used to (gasp) being more responsible for the educaiton of their children then the next step can be taken.
Home schooling would probably be best for everyone, but not everyone is able or is willing to home school. Vouchers have worked beautifully everywhere they've been instituted.
We need vouchers right now. The teacher's union is against them so they must be good.
I know that's the hope, but the opposite will happen. Gov't funding is never temporary. After vouchers, the private schools will start calling for more gov't funds, and eventually all schools will be public schools.
Not too long ago and not to far away, there was a place where everywhere homeschooling parents were considered criminal and punished by law.
But, heroic people got involved in politics and low and behold the evil dragon of educracy was driven away, and homeschooling is legal just about everywhere and even now respected.
It is true that vouchers would increase the reach of government into some private schools -- and appropriately in some regards. We do not want to give tax dollars to schools espousing Islamofascism.
What more than makes up for this concern, however, is that it vouchers vastly increase the reach of the market, parents and general commonsense into the public schools which now miseducate the large majority of our children.
I unabashedly support vouchers.
And if you really fear what might happen to your private school via vouchers consider what the homeschoolers did and realize that if you are politically vigilant government's role will not become unduly intrusive.
Fine by me.
That is an interesting view, which I hadn't considered in that way. I'll have to stew on it...
Another thing about vouchers is that they don't incentivize cost savings as much, as the school is gettting a fixed amount of money no matter what - although it still has to be better than the next one or it will loose students. There is no downwards pressure on prices.
And then of course the issue of homeschooling, how can you voucher that? It could easily be subject to abuse.
If we begin subsidizing the private schools with vouchers - all schools will become gov't-run.
Good to know I'm not alone here in holding that view. :-)
Most of us homeschoolers don't want gov't control in any way - including gov't funding. Homeschool organizations often fight against gov't tax credits or funding of any kind. We don't want the gov't's foot in the door.
In that case if a voucher system is put in place, you can reject funding a la Grove City College. Your situation doesn't change.
Meanwhile, parents who can't homeschool get to vote with their voucher what they want taught and who they want to teach it.
The kids now trapped with lazy, stupid, and ill-prepared teachers will get a fair chance to escape.
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