This is an excellent supplement for any introductory course in public policy, or a more focused course on social policy. The articles are timely, engaging, and present both sides of the issues. In April 2000, Florida adopted the nation's first statewide tuition voucher program. At least four other states are considering similar legislation. The constitutionality of using taxpayer money to send children to parochial schools was left unclear when the Supreme Court refused to hear a case challenging the voucher program in Milwaukee.
Opponents say vouchers siphon money from struggling public schools.
Furthermore, they argue, there is no definitive proof that student performance has improved in districts with voucher programs. But public support for vouchers and other school-choice plans appears to be growing, especially among minorities. Zero Tolerance A series of schoolyard mass killings in recent years has prompted school officials and lawmakers to impose mandatory punishments for a multitude of misbehaviors, many of them seemingly minor. Proponents credit tough disciplinary policies with driving school crime rates down. But critics question their effectiveness and worry about the impact the policies are having on individual rights.