A good scare would do the system good. We understand that vouchers won't solve the state's educational woes. Although inconclusive, the results from voucher programs elsewhere seem positive, especially in serving the needs of inner-city and minority children and in ensuring that public school teachers and administrators do a better job in the face of competition. If Proposition 38 passes, the educational lobby will have no choice but to reform and improve in hurry. And even if the initiative fails, the vouchers issue still will loom like a club over the education establishment's head for years to come.
Vouchers are a response to a legacy of failure.
So long as the failure persists, so does the possibility that drastic measures will be taken. Proposition 38 could help to make that possibility a reality.