The NEA types and liberals seem to always ask: why is the biggest alternative school system in America Roman Catholic? This fuels their fear of religion in the voucher debate. The answer is in history, when the state began educating American kids, there was a strong Protestant bias, forcing Catholics to create their own seperate school system. This goes back 200 years (!).
Recently, "private" as opposed to "porochial" schools have mushroomed, but the price is high. Parents in the "bad part of town" who love their children agonize over the costs of private and/or porochial school... most just can't make the tuition payments. NOW THEY CAN. The voucher takes what the government would've spent anyway and gives the decision to the parent. Watch American education improve FAST. The free market tends to punish slackers and reward the enterprising. Ask any porochial school teacher, who, by the way, makes LESS than his public school counterpart why they stay.... most admit that they like the discipline, class order and parent participation of porochial schools. It's not as much about Jesus as you might think! It's about discipline, personal safety and solid education.