Nevertheless, vouchers are a hot topic these days. State Sen. Teel Bivins of Amarillo is on the right track in his cautious approach to vouchers. He seems to understand it's a slippery slope. He's pushing for a very small and manageable pilot program in urban areas where, according to the Texas Education Agency, most low-performing schools are located. If the Texas Legislature were to enact a pilot voucher program, there could be advantages.
Competition can raise standards and performance.
And children at poor-performing school campuses certainly have a right to a quality education. However, if vouchers come, competition between public and private schools should and must be on a level playing field. And schools taking vouchers would need to stand ready to be measured by the same accountability standards as public schools. But make no mistake about it, the playing field must be level. After all, equal educational opportunity is what American education is all about.