Vouchers and Government Control

LewRockwell ^ | July 6, 2002 | Vouchers and Government Control

[capecodder]

More on an important and timely topic.

The decision on vouchers must rest on what we know of history.

Government money comes with a price: government control.

[2banana]

Food stamps is another "voucher program" yet I do not see any government control of grocery stores

[Khepera]

What do the schools get per student. I know they get a certain amount per student in attendance. Whatever that amount it should be the amount given as the voucher. Thats how a free market works.

When the sale is made to one place over another then the full price of a product is transfered from the loosing distributor to the winning distributor. The loosing distributor does not recieve any mony for a product they did not provide at the expense of the winning distributor or the customer.

[capecodder]

Let's stick with the issue of schools.

Local control of schools is essentially non-existent. The states mandate that local districts follow state law and regulation. The feds demand that state law and regulation conform with federal law and regulation in order to be eligible for fed-ed funds.

The states at this time are reduced to being 50 middle management administrators for the feds, having passed laws and enacted regs for GOALS 2000 funds, School to Work funds, Workforce Investment funds (DOE and DOL), Safe Schools funds (DOE,DOJ), etc.

Education funding is already LOADED with strings.

Vouchers are the Trojan Horse that will destroy private schools.

Please, let's focus on the history of edu-funding.

[Russ]

The arguement that vouchers will lead to government control, or mandates, of private schools is used by the left as a scare tactic to dissuade conservatives from supporting choice.

As long as the money goes to the parents and not the schools directly, I don't see this happening. The reason there are so many controls and mandates on public schools is because the funds go directly to the school districts.

[capecodder]

In 1988 Congress passed the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1988. "The act said that if any part of an institution received even one dollar of federal aid, the whole institution would be subject to federal regulation." Source: Grove City College

http://www.gcc.edu/news/facts/main/rees.htm

[max61]

Food stamps is another "voucher program" yet I do not see any government control of grocery stores

Quite the contrary. Food Stamp usage is controlled, they can only be used on certain items, the list of which is controlled by the government.

---max

[Doodle]

It is, indeed, a slippery slope.

Although currently parents have to fork over additional dough to send their kids to private school (in addition to their property taxes for public schools), they don't have to worry about government-imposed curricula, teacher "standards," etc.

We opted to pay for our kids' private education - and are happy we did.

[Huck]

This 5-4 decision allows Cleveland, Ohio parents to use federal education money, otherwise known as vouchers, to send their children to private (and religiously-based) as well as public schools

Where is there Federal funding of any voucher program? Correct me if I am wrong, but this case centered on the question of whether or not Cleveland could operate a voucher program without Federal interference. There was a 1st amendment challenge which was defeated. There is no new source of funds here; there is simply a change in how those funds are used.

Vouchers are a chit given to parents who meet whatever requirements are stipulated by the state or local authority. That chit is cashed in at any school that will accept it. I think that is basically how it works. These are local and state programs.

It is true that the President favors Federal funding of voucher programs, but this was left out of his Education plan. As far as I know, there is no Federal funding of any voucher program. If I am wrong, someone can let me know. Or maybe this is just more lewrockwell rot.

[capecodder]

The state administers the voucher program. The money will be state ed funds. Merely a regulation away from fed-ed mandates.

If Bush already favors fed-funded vouchers, it's only a matter of time for the DOE to sharpen the pencil...if it hasn't done so already.

[Huck]

The state administers the voucher program. The money will be state ed funds.

Then the second sentence of this article is a lie.

[IdeashaveConsequences]

Food stamps is another "voucher program" yet I do not see any government control of grocery stores

Are you arguing that food stamps are OK?

[capecodder]

Not state ed funds?

Lie?

[capecodder]

Misread you. Pardon me.

Referring to the article, my post #4 applies.

[Brownie74]

FYI - I thought you might be interested in this.

[grania]

Let’s do some quick arithmetic. With roughly 53.1 million school-age children, suppose there was a voucher of $3,000 for each child. That would add $159.3 billion per year to the federal education budget and make it five times what it is now! A libertarian who would expand instead of contract the federal budget? Surely something is amiss here.

I agree with your take on vouchers. Once the government gets in the door with vouchers, the private schools will have to put up with a lot of restrictions...in curriculum, scheduling, independence from testing, admissions/suspensions, etc.

And, now there is another layer...the federally mandated testing that GWB wanted and got.

Another point. Teacher's associations are pretty powerful and pretty grabby. I don't believe for one minute that this $3,000 will come from local budgets. It will just be another huge federal expense. Education, like most programs, works best when they're close to the people being affected. And with this, big brother is at it again!

[Russ]

My daughter will be going to Grove City next year. If she
secures a government grant, or loan, the college will gladly
take the money. It is not federal money going directly to the college with strings attached.

[summer]

The arguement that vouchers will lead to government control, or mandates, of private schools is used by the left as a scare tactic to dissuade conservatives from supporting choice.

I agree with you, Russ. There is no government control of private schools in FL, even though we have had vouchers for almost 4 years. And, I know just by saying that, many posters will jump on me to tell me I am wrong, when they are in fact wrong. Brownie74, thanks for the ping.

[summer]

PS And, by no government control I mean: no required staudent testing, no mandated curriculum, no certified teachers required, etc. Yes, a private school accepting vouchers has to be financially sound and a few other requirements, all of which can be read on a total of one page.

[summer]

PS And, by "no government control" of FL private schools I mean: no required student testing, no mandated curriculum, no certified teachers required, etc. Yes, a private school accepting vouchers has to be financially sound and a few other requirements, all of which can be read on a total of one page.