DEATH SENTENCE FOR PRIVATE AND HOME EDUCATION, COURTESY OF SUPREME COURT

NewsWithViews.com ^ | July 8, 2002 | Charlotte Iserbyt

[Red Jones]

the answers to those questions all depend on the decisions made by elected representatives in each of the various states. some states will do a good job, some states won't. Then the states that do a good job will have freedom and quality education for kids. The states that do a bad job will have poor quality schools and tyranny over the population in that children will be indoctrinated in a manner the parents disapprove of. The decisions are ours as a people. The results depend on us.

We are not pre-destined to failure. In the early 1800's there were many church-run schools that were funded by the taxpayers in some states. For decades they did a great job with no government interference. Then the catholics established schools. Lack of tolerance for those schools destroyed the whole system. Isn't it ironic, today the catholics have a school system that many non-catholics envy and the public schools that the majority of kids go to are garbage by comparison.

If you want quality schools for people in the lower class areas of big cities, then look to the catholic schools. They spend a lot less money per child than the public schools and they get much better results even with the lower class kids whom the public school experts tell us can't be educated.

[Steve_Seattle]

"The non-voucher schools will have to charge full freight."

They already do, so I don't see how vouchers put them at a disadvantage. People who believe in those schools will still support them. They are ALREADY paying more.

[Slyfox]

I think the Supreme Court decided correctly, but I would like to keep a close eye on the people making decisions AFTER the decision.

[Alberta's Child]

The voucher-taking schools will be able to offer lower tuitions, because the voucher will make up the difference.

If the author's primary concern is valid, then this statement is incorrect. Schools that accept vouchers will eventually be forced to meet 95% of government-imposed regulations anyway, so the non-voucher schools will still be cheaper.

[Slyfox]

I served on the TX State convention platform committee. This subject was THE bone of contention for many people. It's hard to find people who aren't for educational choice, but everyone has their own idea as to how choice should be administered.

[poet]

I feel much better %>)

FReegards

[niki]

bump

[Blood of Tyrants]

Read on. With the government dollars will come government strings and government control.

[Carry_Okie]

FreeTally- Not in Florida. The Constitution and State laws give private schools much leway. In addition, the voucher goes to the parent - not the school. Florida's program does have some language that has made mant private schools "not interested".

I don't dispute your data, but do suggest that your confidence is misplaced. The left intends to bring about these changes by invalidating your State laws in Federal Court. That is how they did it to public skewels and vochers will be no different.

fporetto- If there's a window of a few years during which the private schools can get voucher students without having to bend to the educrats, they could out-compete the government-run schools so thoroughly as to fatally undermine the case for "public" education. Public willingness to tax-fund education to any degree might collapse.

I'd call it a race.

I don't differ with your political analysis, if the struggle over standards were legislative. It' won't be. A single TRO or injunction steals your time window and I am certain that the dark side is shopping for judges even as we speak.

I wouldn't be so confident.

[Aquinasfan]

First of all, most private schools I know do fine on their own, and if they had to tell government and their vouchers to take a flying leap, they would continue to do fine. Secondly, if vouchers are a left wing conspiracy, then why is the left so against them? Third, how do vouchers sound a death knell for home schools? Homeschoolers have always and will continue to go their own way, despite the left's attempts to halt them.

Ditto bump. Additionally, the educrats' attempt to force accreditation on homeschool "teachers" in the mid-90s was defeated overwhelmingly.

[Spiff]

The reason government schools are so go is because they have a monopoly, and the reason restaurants are so bad is because people can choose which ones to patronize.

But as long as the funds come from the government - even through vouchers - ALL schools who accept them will become government schools.

[Carry_Okie]

Regardless what we think of the effect of the decision on homeschooling, we should cheer the Supremes on this, one of the few occasions where they actually applied the consitution as written and intended rather than acting as a super-legislature.

Correct.

The author's arguments should be addressed to the state legislatures and to congress--they are emphatically not a proper criticism of the Supreme Court.

Only insofar as defunding the DOE is concerned. The real battle will be in the courts.

[Carry_Okie]

Additionally, the educrats' attempt to force accreditation on homeschool "teachers" in the mid-90s was defeated overwhelmingly.

True, for now.

I repeat: You are forgetting the manner in which databases and testing will track EVERY kid for whether or not they are learning PC attitudes, not how well they are educated. That is how they will coerce home-schooling.

[scannell]

This decision will succeed in carrying out the long-standing leftist/internationalist goal of total control of all education (public and private) through the dollar

The government already has total control of all education through the dollar. The decision to enable private and alternative schools and education is what dismantles this monopoly.

[fporretto]

A single TRO or injunction steals your time window and I am certain that the dark side is shopping for judges even as we speak.

Yuck. That's a very good -- and very scary -- point, especially given the preponderance of leftish, power-grubbing judges who'd love to ingratiate themselves with the educrats.

Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit The Palace Of Reason: http://palaceofreason.com

[Carry_Okie]

Yuck. That's a very good -- and very scary -- point, especially given the preponderance of leftish, power-grubbing judges who'd love to ingratiate themselves with the educrats.

That's how they did it in California.

[FreeTally]

I don't dispute your data, but do suggest that your confidence is misplaced. The left intends to bring about these changes by invalidating your State laws in Federal Court. That is how they did it to public skewels and vochers will be no different.

I have grown tired arguing about this over the past week, but I'll give it one more try. First, NO school has to accept vouchers. Are we clear? Secondly, MANY schools have said "no thanks" here in Florida due to some "requirements" that may be construed to mean other things. As another poster put it, Private schools will not accept vouchers if there are intrusive "strings attached", so State governments will not implement "intrusive" rules which would defeat the voucher program. Politicians mostly send their kids to private schools, for the same reasons many regular people do. They will not create regulations to destroy the schools their kids go to. It simply will not happen.

The NEA types can try to challenge State laws in Federal court all they want, but the SCOTUS has already ruled on the major point of contention. Secondly, the voucher funds come from State and County taxes, not federal money. Its not a federal issue. The voucher goes to the parent, not the school. Florida's laws are clear about the government having very little regulatory power over private schools. Vouchers do not, can not and will not change this.

[buffyt]

Read THE WORLD'S LAST DICTATOR by Dwight Kinman. He covers a lot of what is happening in our public schools, which we do not want to happen in private and home schools! When I first read his book years ago, I thought, tin foil hat time. But most of the things he predicted have already happened in the USA now.....

[farmfriend]

I find it very telling that the same people who are for "reproductive choice" are against school choice.

[Carry_Okie]

I have grown tired arguing about this over the past week, but I'll give it one more try. First, NO school has to accept vouchers. Are we clear?

I didn't say that they would. There will be mandatory testing, indeed there already is in many states. They will test for attitudes and successful indoctrination, not learning. Testing results will be tracked in a national database. Just watch!

As another poster put it, Private schools will not accept vouchers if there are intrusive "strings attached", so State governments will not implement "intrusive" rules which would defeat the voucher program.

I am not arguing with that. Are we clear? My guess is that those schools that will take the money will be at the bottom of the economic ladder. It is a typical leftist strategy of political indenture.

Politicians mostly send their kids to private schools, for the same reasons many regular people do. They will not create regulations to destroy the schools their kids go to. It simply will not happen.

Politicians won't have a say in the matter. Judges will, but I do understand your point. The evidence points otherwise. Look at the kids of leftist politicians. Look at how many wind up with serious problems or in jail. A leftist will destroy their own family before they drop their ideology. It's sad, but demonstrably true.

The NEA types can try to challenge State laws in Federal court all they want, but the SCOTUS has already ruled on the major point of contention.

It's just a start. They are not done. When the DOE gets their national database cranked up for issuing "certificates of mastery" you'll see more of where this is going.

Secondly, the voucher funds come from State and County taxes, not federal money.

Given that money is fungible, I think that this one may be porous. States will still be accepting Federal funds for "education," and may thus still be subject to "equal protection" lawsuits. There is ample prededent for that in programs for "special needs" kids.