Children whose parents could not afford to add money to supplement the voucher to pay tuition at a private school and children who were unacceptable to the private schools could take their voucher to the public school, but this would create a two-tiered system repugnant to public school advocates who believe all children should have equal opportunity for an excellent education. No matter how proposals of relief of private school costs are designed, the ultimate effect is to burden the taxpaying public with support of two school systems, one operating without the supervision the public demands of any institution or programs it is funding. To address the complaint that private school parents are paying for two systems, the first point to be made is that tuition is not taxation. In a civilized society, taxation is the method by which citizens buy collectively those services which all citizens require and which are more efficient to buy collectively than individually. Voters have established through their elected representatives that public education is a desirable public service and in the public interest.
Public education is available for all.
The privilege of using a private educational system is a choice citizens may make. But expecting the general public to also support a private system is no more valid for schools than it would be to expect the public to help pay country club fees for those who choose not to use the public parks, or to expect a reduction of taxes because a citizen chooses to use a private car rather than public transportation. Parents who voluntarily deprive themselves of the opportunity to use tax supported schools because they wish to educate their children in a private school for any reason, should accept responsibility for the financial support of the kinds of schools they prefer. Voucher supporters are advertising what they perceive to be the benefits of vouchers. You may reprint or quote any or all of them and any parts of this letter that you wish to make your point.