From: zstewart@nyx.cs.du.edu (Zhahai Stewart)
Newsgroups: co.general
Subject: Re: PRIORITIES
Date: 20 Dec 92 00:19:12 GMT
Distribution: co
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
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In article <1992Dec15.201806.19706@claven.ucar.edu> woods@claven.ucar.edu (Greg Woods) writes:
>Because the public schools are a sort of "sacred cow". Say anything against
>the hallowed public schools, and you are branded as not caring about the
>quality of education, or at least not caring whether poor people have
>access to a decent education. I don't believe this is true at all; it
>is precisely because I *do* care about the quality of education that your 
>daughter (who might someday be my doctor) is receiving that I criticize
>the public schools. I also do not believe that private schools have to
>be more expensive. I supported amendment 7 (vouchers) because I believe
>it would have given poorer people access to private schools.

What strikes me in cases like this is that every locale in the US seems to
independently argue these things based on pure ideology (or personal models
of how the universe works if we prefer) in vacuum.  It would seem reasonable
to try out some of these theories in some locations before switching the
entire school system over, given the large number of billions of dollars
and millions of lives involved, and the magnitude of the risks (of acting
wrongly, or of not acting at all).  I had gathered that some areas had already
tried voucher systems; how DID they work?  Did it enable more poor people to
get their kids into good private schools?  Or did it incentivise the "creaming
" which concerns others?  Before converting a whole state, I would like to
see some analysis of real world effects, not just "beliefs".

I have some friends with kids in private schools.  They opposed #7 because
they still believe in the public school concept in general, even though they
think their kids need a somewhat different environment at this time.  They
mentioned that the cheapest private schools are all religious, with a 
substantial slant; they expected the religious schools to be the far and
away differential gainers from the $2500 subsidies, more than the secular
private schools.  I don't know what the net effect "where the rubber meets
the road" would be from #7, but I do think my friends have done a lot more
investigating and pondering of these issues than I have.  It is enough to
give me pause - in theory I would support vouchers if it had the effect it
is billed to have - but WOULD IT?

I will note that if vouchers went into effect, I might support eliminating
my tax support for same.  I am willing to pay for public education even tho
I don't have kids; but if the voucher system mainly means that I'm being
forced to subsidize religious indoctrination (along with a side order of
some better alterative schools), I may push to drop the tax support in favor
of direct contributions to those schools I support.  I would probably not be
alone.
    ~z~
Newsgroups: co.general