"Michelle Rhee, former DC Schools Chancellor, has published her first book, Radical: Fighting to Put Students First, that chronicles her evolution as one of the nation's preeminent education reformers. In 2007, she was appointed to the newly created position of Chancellor of the DC public schools. Her tenure there caused her to rethink many of her assumptions. The biggest transformation, though, was that she became an ardent supporter of school vouchers.
A life-long Democrat, Rhee had been reflexively opposed to school vouchers. She had bought into the teacher unions' argument that money spent on vouchers directed money away from the public school system. Because public schools receive taxpayer funds based on how many students are enrolled, the argument makes some very superficial sense. But, very superficial, as Rhee now argues. From her book:
Most people in this country do not favor vouchers in education, because they don’t want public dollars going to private institutions or businesses. But the logic holds absolutely no water.
We have federal Pell grants that low-income students use all the time to attend private colleges. Pell grants aren’t limited to use at public universities. We have food stamps that low-income families redeem at nongovernment grocery stores. And let’s not forget about Medicare and Medicaid.
Think about it this way. Say your elderly mother had to be hospitalized for life-threatening cancer. The best doctor in the region is at Sacred Heart, a Catholic, private hospital. Could you ever imagine saying this? “Well, I don’t think our taxpayer dollars should subsidize this private institution that has religious roots, so we’re going to take her to County General, where she’ll get inferior care. ’Cause that’s just the right thing to do!”
No. You’d want to make sure that your tax dollars got your mom the best care. Period. Our approach should be no different for our children. Their lives are at stake when we’re talking about the quality of education they are receiving. The quality of care standard should certainly be no lower."
Subsidize poor students so that they can study at the best quality private schools? Why, that is crazy talk! Keep them segregated in poor preforming public schools.
The Teacher's Union is much more important than the actual students.
You would think the party of the rich would be supporting this, but nope, it is the Dems who want to take choices away from our kids.
Before Obama was running for POTUS, he actually supported vouchers offering elementary and high school kids a chance and has increased Pell Grants for the poor seeking a college education. But are the Pell Grants too little, too late, the kids are stuck in bad schools so they can't get into college.
Thomas Sowell: There are no solutions, just trade-offs.
