Posted on 06/27/2002 8:21:45 AM PDT by frmrda
Statement of Bob Chase, President of the National Education Association on the U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Private School Tuition Vouchers
The National Education Association pledges to continue to fight for children and public education - and oppose divisive and counterproductive proposals to divert energy, attention, and resources to private school tuition vouchers, despite the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, the Cleveland private school voucher case. Just because vouchers may be legal in some circumstances doesn't make them a good idea.
The record is clear that American public schools have improved dramatically - and are continuing to change. Reading and math scores on the National Assessment of Education Progress have increased steadily since 1992, the proportion of high school graduates with a bachelor's degree has grown, and more students are taking advanced math and science and other core academic courses.
Vouchers are a divisive and expensive diversion from continuing progress in these areas.
Make no mistake, vouchers are not reform. If policymakers want to act on the issues that parents care most about - the kitchen table discussions about education opportunity for their children - they will address teacher quality, class size, making sure all schools have high expectations for every child, and providing the resources to help students succeed.
When voters have had an opportunity to choose, they have defeated vouchers by two to one. At least 26 state legislatures have rejected voucher proposals - some of them several times. Last year, at least eight states rejected legislative proposals for vouchers, and several more rejected voucher-like tuition tax credits or tax credits or deductions for scholarships.
Moreover, a 1992 Congressional Research Service report found that aid to sectarian schools is, at a minimum, uncertain in all but 12 states and explicitly prohibited in at least six states.
We will continue to fight for public schools and against vouchers - or related schemes to provide public funds to private and religious schools - at the ballot box, in state legislatures, and in state courts. We will continue this fight in allegiance with the vast majority of American parents who want good schools in their communities. And we will continue this fight with the best interests of children foremost in our minds.
"Whine, whine, we lost. Gee, what are we going to do now that we actually have to perform or else people are going to leave. We might actually be like every other business in America and show results. This is bad. I'm going to have to call a meeting. With this vote, were there any butterfly ballots or anything? Get me Gore's people on the phone".
Guess what pal, the train just left the station and you and those like you have been left behind. When I say "those like you" I don't mean the actual teachers, many of whom are very good. What I mean is the anti-choice establishment whose strangelhold on education has just been broken. This is a victory for children everywhere. And it just might make the public schools better.
Oppose???
It is the USSC...can't oppose it.....hahahaha!!!!
Think we need to let this guy talk to the Fla Supreme Court nitwits who opposed Bush v Gore.......:-)
Vouchers are a divisive and expensive diversion from continuing progress in these areas.
They even included the catch-phrase of 2002! These people are utterly hilarious and pathetic. The response can be summarized as, "Oh, sh!t, we are losing control!".
Me thinks they are still shilling for the Sinkmaster.
Mr. Chase continued "I know I've been on Pluto smoking angel dust for the last 35 years, but I think I know what I'm talking about"
It is the USSC...can't oppose it.....hahahaha!!!!
Well, to be fair, they CAN continue to oppose vouchers in state legislatures. The Court didn't MANDATE vouchers (that would be a little undemocratic)--it just said that they were not unconstitutional.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.