Posted on 07/05/2002 6:49:32 AM PDT by capecodder
Vouchers: The Parent Trap
Texas Eagle Forum March 1999 Cathie Adams, President, Texas Eagle Forum
VOUCHERS: THE PARENT TRAP
Who will have the fundamental right of educating children: parents or politicians?
By Cathie Adams, president of Texas Eagle Forum
Virtually every candidate for political office claims that if we elect him, he will fix public education, and since 92% of our children attend public schools, such political promises appeal to almost everyone. Those political promises have led to a multitude of unproven education fads introduced in public school classrooms, but there is one idea that has yet to overcome political opposition: vouchers, a.k.a. school choice. There are two major sources of opposition for the idea: teachers' unions who are afraid of losing part of their funding and those who hold to free market ideals and oppose government regulations.
Voucher supporters claim they would create competition for the public schools and thereby improve them. But columnist Charlie Reese sums it up nicely: "Government schools cannot compete in any sense of the word. They are government schools, creatures of law and politics. Faculty, its pay, and the curricula are determined not by the schools, but by politicians, bureaucrats and, in some cases judges. To state that public schools can compete with private schools is like saying a bronze statue of a horse can compete with a live one."
In reality, public funding would destroy private education. Saralee Rhoades outlines why in The Freeman, a newsletter published by The Foundation for Economic Education:
Private schools will become dependent on this new source of money and in time unable to exist without it. Private schools electing to safeguard their freedoms, not taking advantage of "free" money, will not be able to compete. When the only schools left are government schools, is there any assurance that the quality of public schooling will not precipitously decline as it has before? The resultant government monopoly will preclude any form of competitive standards. Costs will skyrocket as offices are set up nationwide to monitor the expenditure of government funds, protect students from exploitation, and expand services as further needs arise. Eventually the aim will be the maintenance of the program, not the education of children. Compliance with government policy and maintenance of the status quo will assume greater and greater importance, as more workers become dependent on government-subsidized salaries. The bottom line is that government cannot fix the educational problem because government is the problem.
Some insist that voucher legislation can be written to protect private schools. Chester Finn, chief architect of the National Goals (presented in former President Bush's America 2000 plan and President Clinton's Goals 2000) and a voucher advocate refutes the claim. "Some to be sure, like to think they can have it both ways; i.e. can obtain aid without saddling themselves with unacceptable forms of regulation. But most acknowledge the general applicability of the old adage that he who pays the piper calls the tune, and are more or less resigned to amalgamating or choosing between assistance or autonomy."
Texas voucher supporters believe that if legislation denies federal funds, then private schools would be free from government strings. In 1995, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 1 and created the Texas Workforce Commission that have brought about systemic reforms required by federal education laws, Goals 2000 and School-to-Work. The Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) is being restructured to come into compliance with the rewrite of Texas' essential elements into performance standards/outcomes called Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills-all an outgrowth of the federal programs. It is logical that if private and public schools are answerable to the same bureaucracies, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the Texas Comptroller, then they will both be controlled by the federal government programs.
State regulation is guaranteed. Governor George W. Bush has said, "I believe we ought to try a pilot voucher program that is tied to our accountability system [the TAAS test]." Rather than public schools being forced to compete in an education market place with private schools, the private schools would be forced to conform to the same outcome-based standards and performance-based tests prescribed for every public school by both federal and state governments. Ronald Trowbridge, vice-president for external programs and communications at Hillsdale College in Michigan, wrote in The Wall Street Journal "If government vouchers are extended to private primary and secondary schools, truly private schools in five, 10, 15 or 20 years will become virtually extinct."
Courts have broadened government control over private schools that take government funds. The infamous Grove City College vs. Bell case decided that even though the GI bill funds went directly to a student rather than a school, it came under federal regulations. The all-male Virginia Military Institute was forced to admit women or forgo state funding. And Liberty University dropped their religious worship requirement in order to retain their state tuition assistance grants. George Roche, president of Hillsdale College writes, "What is especially galling about this (attitude of 'you take our money, we own you') is that federal money was forcibly extracted from us in the first place. When they 'give' some of it back, it comes not with strings attached, but chains." Hillsdale is the only college in the U.S. that refuses even the GI Bill because of its federal tentacles of control.
The bottom line is: Vouchers would cause the demise of private schools because they cannot compete with what some parents will perceive as "free" schools. And government regulation will force them to be like public schools.
Vouchers would grant the government the "right" to collect your money and redistribute it to the more needy or dictate where and how you spend it by granting you a voucher. Collecting taxes and redistributing them is socialism.
Vouchers will cause private school tuition to escalate as witnessed by the sharp increase in public college tuition after the GI Bill was passed in 1943. Fewer parents would be able to afford true private schools.
Vouchers would politicize private schools the same way as public schools. Dr. Gary North, president of The Institute for Christian Economics, describes how voters/parents have consented to a system that rewards educational bureaucrats rather than serving parents as consumers with legal authority over their children. The chief losers of the political scheme are the students.
Vouchers would methodically expunge religion from private school curricula. George Bernard Shaw of The Socialist Fabian Society of England frankly stated, "Nothing will more quickly destroy independent Christian schools than state aid; their freedom and independence will soon be compromised, and before long their faith."
The only voucher bill filed in the Texas legislature as I write this report is HB 709 by Rep. Mike Krusee (R-Round Rock). The bill would mandate that: parents notify the state for a scholarship; the voucher "entitlement" be paid to the school instead of to the parent; the private schools be accredited by a private organization recognized by the Commissioner of Education and report to him on the school's performance on the academic excellence indicators; the private school not refuse to enroll a child on the basis of religion or academic achievement; and that the private school must certify to the Texas Comptroller all admissions regulations.
Senate Education Committee Chairman Teel Bivins (R-Amarillo), also will sponsor legislation calling for a limited voucher program. He says private schools that participate must be accredited and must test their students with the TAAS. This would make the once "private" school economically, spiritually and educationally beholden to the state.
Government vouchers sound good at first, but when we measure whether they will bring more liberty or more government, they certainly grow government. And it is uncanny that conservatives would encourage government to reduce welfare and support a reduction in the size of government, but advocate school vouchers. By cycling taxpayers' money through government hands, then back to parents, the voucher program would create a new category of people who will become dependent upon government largess. We cannot mouth limited government while our actions promote limitless government.
I'm sure you also read all the way thru it, and saw the many references to "scholarship" within. It is a scholarship program, not a voucher program.
Not once are vouchers tied to it or referenced within it.
The voucher program in the State of Florida, the State I have lived all of my life in, has a voucher program called "Opportunity Scholarship Program". I know what the words say, but that IS the State voucher program.
The word "voucher" is not used because, well, just look at the responses the mere mention of the word evokes from both sides.
For all you voucher naysayers, has it ever occurred to you how huge this ruling was for our side and how detrimental it was for the teachers' unions? We get a victory and I'll be doggone if we hurry up and throw it away. Political understanding is not very high on our side. But keep up the mantra. I'll work to marginalize the negativity because this is huge for us, even if some of us can't seem to get their minds around it.
The private school must include in its school profile the percentage of teachers who hold regular Florida teaching certificates.
Teaching certificates are for kindergarten, elementary and high school teachers. "Scholarships" are for colleges. I know the wording may be confusing, but the fact that they speak of teaching certificates, it should be easy to realize this is not a college scholarship program.
Like we posted, this is the official title of the program. Yes, the word "scholarship" implies other things, but I can't help that.
And on a tangent: I think everyone should have to pay something to send their kids to school. People usually care a little more about something when they have to pay for it, and having to pay, even for public school, might make parents a little more attentive to it. It's like if you have to buy a car for yourself, which most of us do, you usually are rather quick to phone the dealer if it breaks down all the time.
When something's free, you don't expect much from it. I think free school should rank right up there with a free school lunch - should be means tested.
Or did I miss the right to a free education somewhere in the Bill of Rights?
I was home schooled for all but two of my school years. I attended public school for kindergarten and a small private school for 12th grade so I could have an accredited diploma.
No kids. But I am planing on home schooling for at least the first few years.
a.cricket
As I pointed out, all private schools, even home schools, are subject to many regulations already. I ask you if you can cite a time when money was provided by the government without strings attached? So there will be more regulation.
Has the regulation of grocery stores become worse since the introduction of food stamps? Perhaps....but this I don't see how this anything to do with food stamps per se.
Food stamps carry strings for the users, not the providers for the most part. That is why the analogy is flawed. AS far as the stores go, the regulations on the stores have become worse (increased cost to the stores for bookkeeping, etc) but not in a big enough way to make a point about it.
Vouchers are just are parents keeping their school tax money. How can government regulate tax rebates? Do they regualte tax refunds now?
Recognizing this, as others pointed out above, most private schools in Florida have opt-ed out of the Florida Opportunity Scholarship Program on the basis of it being too intrusive.
Clearly, Florida private schools, constitutionally already have fairly wide latitude in their academic and admission standards and fee structure.
The recent SCOTUS ruling that 'vouchers' are also constitutional may give Florida legislators the basis to remove some of their existing restrictions, at which point Florida's private schools may then begin to opt-in.
Bottom line, yes Florida has an intrusive 'voucher' program, but private schools may opt out as they choose. They are not hurt by vouchers, just Florida parents are hurt in that they still don't get the full benefit of free choice, in Florida, yet.
Incorrect, otherwise they would just send money.
How can government regulate tax rebates?
A tax rebate and a voucher are not the same thing, that is why they have different names.
Do they regualte tax refunds now?
Not a refund either.
Why not give everyone who pays for a child's education a tax CREDIT? 100%
Makes more sense doesn't it?
You see in the end, the control is still there. I don't see the govt or nea ever giving up control once they get it.
Alaska is a pretty conservative place with lots of rural people off the road system. Homeschooling is natural up here, but still there are parameters set down that must be followed.
Someone mentioned a simple tax deduction for private educational expenses. That is a much better direction. The more complex the system the more room for govt control and corruption.
I teach high school and face the govt sinking their teeth into every aspect of education on a daily basis. I believe their ultimate goal is to federalize education and all the mind control that will bring to our children. They are accomplishing their curriculum controls through standards, benchmarks, and legislation anyway.
Private schools now have much more freedom than they will after vouchers. A simple tax deduction would be better.
April 17, 2002
Assembly Bill 6916: Education Tax Credit
Summary:
This is a tax credit bill for educational expenses, including home instruction. It would apply to families whose adjusted gross income is less than $100,000. Depending on the family's income, the credit ranges from $1,000 to $3,000. It would go into effect on January 1, 2002.
Status: This bill was referred to the Assembly Ways and Means Committee on March 6, 2001. The Committee amended it on June 14, 2001, and again on June 20, 2001. The bill currently remains in the Assembly Ways and Means Committee.
HSLDA's Position: HSLDA supports tax credits for home schooling families, so long as no additional restrictions are added to the home instruction law.
No, the food stamp didn't result in government regulation of supermarkets... but have we forgotten that government aid to colleges, and to college students in the form of loans and grants, has been used to justify thoroughgoing regulation of colleges, in particular as regards admissions policies and student racial classifications?
There is danger here. Watch the educrats' unions. If they ever cease to oppose school choice directly, their next move will strike at the choice program's point of greatest vulnerability: the place where there's leverage by which to re-establish educrat control. That's how we'll know where the political weak point is.
Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
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