I don't think vouchers meet this criteria:
1) voucher money is a return to the parent what the parent had been paying in taxes.
2) As someone above noted it is more like foodstamps. Grocery stores accepting food stamps are not regulated.
The key distinction is that parents are exercising there choice as to how to spend their money (rebated through vouchers), not the school or government. The student is not a conduit for government funds in this case. The funds belong to the parent, not the government.
No the grocery stores are not regulated. But the use of the food stamps is regulated to a degree. I forget all the things you can't buy with foodstamps as it has been 12 years since I worked in a grocery storee and had to deal with that.
WIC is also highly regulated and like foodstamps the WIC VOUCHERS go right to the consumer. I know one requirement is that you have to have the children up to date on their immunizations- I remember a friend compalining about that. You have to "check in" with the authorities every so often to make sure you are doing what the feel you are supposed to be doing.You can only buy a very limited amount of items with your vouchers.
How could this be translated to school vouchers. Well you might have to do certain things to"qualify" in the first place.The government could only allow them to be used at limited schools. You might have to "check in" with the authorities every so often to make sure your children are getting the education they feel your child should be getting, and that you are jumping through whatever other hoops they feel llike making you jump through to get your vouchers. I am sure you could religiously or otherwise object to the requirements (like one can exempth theri public schol students form immunizaations) but with what red tape and hassel to get your "rights" honored?
You should read the NEA resolutions concerning homeschooling. They could recommend the same things concerning voucher usage. If you think the NEA doesn't have a lot of clout with what the government does concerning education you would be wrong. They find ways, they find ways- don't you think for a minute they don't,or won't. Just because we are paranoid doesn't mean they won't do what we are paranoid of them doing