[Twodees]

As it stands now, the private schools don't have to allow problem kids to enroll. That will change the minute a private school cashes a federal voucher. That's what this is going to become before you know it; a federal welfare program. With government money will come government interference and micromanagement. That's a sure bet.

What exactly do you mean by saying that you will be able to send your kids to private school without breaking your bank account? Whose bank account are you going to break, mine? Private schools cost money. You and I are both already paying enough in taxes on two separate levels to cover the $6k+ the public schools are spending to warehouse a child. This should be about those of us who are paying taxes and also paying private school tuition getting a break from the taxes, not about handing the people who aren't paying taxes the money to send their kids to school with mine. The idea of having any level of government give me a damn voucher with which to go pay for my daughter's tuition is repugnant to me. Let them give me a tax credit to reflect the number of children I'm paying to have educated privately instead of burdening their public school system.

How on earth did this ever become a conservative ideal, anyway? This is asset redistribution, also known as welfare. In order to give you a voucher, everyone's taxes are going to have to go up. When everyone's taxes go up, fewer people will have the option of one parent staying out of the work force in order to home school. That's one unintended consequence right there. Use your imagination and you'll see more of them hiding here and there.

The NEA will be dead in the water without a federal DoEd. That's the easiest and quickest way to bust their trust. Get another welfare scam going and within a year or two the NEA will be running it. They're big now, but they could be even bigger if this voucher thing goes federal.

[ned]

With government money will come government interference and micromanagement. That's a sure bet.

Yes, indeed. That is the likely outcome.

I also think you're right about vouchers as a new entitlement. Where we might disagree is that I believe that most people who support vouchers probably recognize all of this and support vouchers anyway. With their eyes wide open.

[mhking]

That will change the minute a private school cashes a federal voucher. That's what this is going to become before you know it; a federal welfare program.

You're assuming that the Feds will demand those changes. Considering that programs are already in place in Cleveland and Milwaukee without those demands/changes, I would have to figure otherwise.

And as for not breaking my bank account, I only propose that the monies that I would otherwise spend on public schools (i.e, those tax dollars that I'm already spending) be spent on private schools.

What I'm proposing is using it based on a collegiate model. In other words, this opens the playing field. It won't eliminate the haves/have nots situation; on the contrary - those schools that do not choose to participate will price themselves up and out of that arena. The schools like Choate or Sidwell Friends will price themselves completely out of the general marketplace.

The public schools will be forced to compete by cutting costs. Among the costs that will end up going away are those extortion fees paid to the unions. The NEA will try to strike, but in a painful process, the schools (who want to compete and survive) will have to eliminate those costs. Using the same model, those that want to exceed will have to pay for quality teachers. Those who are just passing time for a check will end up by the wayside.

The rising tide will raise all the boats. This is what the GOP is interested in. It is a far cry from a welfare program. What I'm interested in isn't a hand-out. I don't care if it's a tax rebate-based voucher or credit. I don't want to have to be forced to pay money into the failing public schools, as I am forced to now.

The NEA will wail and cry and insist that they are working in the best interest of the children, but we all know otherwise. I'm sorry you can't see that.