Vouchers (aka publicly-funded slush fund)

To the author of the theANTILiberalBlog 10th Cent, vouchers cannot be use for charter schools and home schools (at least not in the Milwaukee school choice program you champion). They are used soley for religious schools and "choice schools" anyone with a mailing address can establish.

The laws governing Milwaukee’s "school choice" program, which the 10th Cent advocates, say private schools:

• Do not have to obey the state's open meetings and records laws.
• Do not have to hire certified teachers or even require a college degree.
• Do not have to release information on employee wages or benefits.
• Do not have to provide data such as test scores, attendance figures, or suspension and drop-out rates. In fact, the legislation expanding vouchers to include religious schools specifically eliminated the requirement that the State Superintendent of Schools conduct annual performance evaluations of voucher schools. The only requirement is an evaluation of the program, to be submitted to the legislature in the year 2000.

Regulations governing private schools are so weak that it is harder to get a liquor license or set up a corner gas station in Milwaukee than it is to start a private school.

from the Wisconsin Education Association Council.

Regulations governing private schools are so weak that it is harder to get a liquor license or set up a corner gas station in Milwaukee than it is to start a private school.

There is no substantial or credible evidence that vouchers work in improving education for poor children...none. I agree with you that a revolution is necessary for the future success of public education. I disagree, however, that the revolution is privatization.

The 10th Cent uses Professor Paul E. Peterson of Harvard University as a source promoting voucher programs. I did some research on Prof. Peterson online and here is what I found: Conservative Professor Paul Peterson's work on school voucher programs raises serious ethical issues.

I don't want anyone to take that website as the truth, but it does raise some interesting questions. Regardless, it is quite obvious that Prof. Peterson is not an impartial researcher. Do a simple Google search for "Paul E. Peterson" and you will see he is quite smitten with vouchers, not just reporting findings of his research. (Oh, by the way, just because you say Harvard is a "VERY LIBERAL SCHOOL," they still have conservative [even radically conservative] professors).

The 10th Cent also uses Jap P. Green of the University of Houston as a pro-voucher source. Well, there is no reference of Jap Green ever working for, taking classes at or doing research for the University of Houston. I was puzzled by that, so I did a simple Google search of "Jap P. Green" and "Jap Green." I received no pertinent results. Who exactly is this Jap Green, and why should I believe his "position" on vouchers?

The author of the 10th Cent claimed that “public schools are corrupt…With vouchers it create competition and create less corruption…” That’s very interesting. It’s even more interesting when you read this news article from the AP and Miami Herald: Milwaukee Voucher Program Hit by Scandal.

The figure of $2,500 I gave was the average voucher payout nation wide (including both private and public voucher programs). 10th Cent, I wouldn’t use Milwaukee as a shining example of voucher success. You said “People in Milwaukee love vouchers.” That’s another very interesting point, especially when you read this other news article from the Washington Post and the Detroit News: Voucher plan splits Milwaukee.

I will grant that not all vouchers are used to attend religious schools, but that makes no difference. You can’t violate the First Amendment and say “don’t worry, we are only violating it a little bit.” There is no sliding scale of appropriateness or acceptability when it comes to religious freedom and governmental endorsement (through financial support) of religion.

The former superintendent of the Milwaukee Public Schools likes the voucher programs he developed and supported? No kidding…that’s quite surprising. The 10th Cent, you have yet to provide any credible evidence that vouchers work in any substantive way. Even the evidence available for test cases is inconclusive and unusable. How can a “fiscally conservative” guy like yourself advocate spending billions of dollars on a program with little evidence supporting that expense?

When I get some more time, I will explain my position on public education and my ideas for improving public education for all students, not just the wealthy, not just the inner-city poor, all students.