Why are school vouchers such a bad idea?
I have a niece. She’s five, and in Kindergarten at a public elementary school. Let’s pretend that the school she attends is failing to produce students who can read, master mathematics, or think critically. Let’s pretend the voucher plan is going to be implemented. Well, our first step in this matter of vital importance is to … wait. We keep doing what we’re doing and see if the school shapes up in three years. It doesn’t. So we assume the school personnel aren’t trying hard enough. This is my first big problem with school vouchers. Ask any proponent of the voucher plan how the program can possibly benefit public schools, and they will tell you that the competition will force the public school to get its act together. As if declining test scores, a high drop-out rate, and a room full of students who cannot read at the proper level are things the school personnel do not notice or care about. As if they aren’t already trying as hard as they can. I am of the opinion that if a public sch
