The Colorado House yesterday defeated a new school voucher program meant to replace the one struck down by the courts last year. A number of students and parents were left in the lurch, forced to go back to failing public schools, as they couldn't afford to pay private tuition.
Vouchers have some problems - it's hard to like seeing the state educrats get an inroad into private schools. However, between all sides of the debate the ones who look worst are the voucher opponents, as pointed out by this Rocky editorial:
[T]he coalition that opposed vouchers will challenge the law again on other issues, including the participation by religious schools.
What can they be thinking?
It's difficult to understand why the same people who claim to be "for the children" are working so hard to keep them trapped in public schools that are failing them. Allowing parents to choose the school that is best for their children is a sensible and compassionate idea for educating Coloradans. You'd think the state's political establishment could get behind a modest pilot program, which tests whether the academic performance of poor, at-risk, often minority kids can be improved via school choice. But that would require making the interests of kids truly its highest priority.
I doubt that group, lead by the teacher's union, is looking out for the best interests of the private schools.
My biggest doubt is whether those groups are looking out for the best interest of the kids.
Posted by: LWS at April 24, 2004 02:51 PM