Imagine what will happen to this nation if we ignore so many students. Or imagine what will happen to us if we ignore the education of other minorities. Today, one of the greatest challenges that we face in education is to close the achievement gap that the old attitude created and of which minorities are the primary victims. Some people believe that vouchers are the way to close the gap. Vouchers will rob our public schools of the resources they need to educate the vast majority of students.
Vouchers are a terrible mistake.
There is a better way. California recently reported significant improvements in student achievement, particularly among Hispanic and other minority students. Not with gimmicks like vouchers, but by raising standards, reducing class size, and improving teacher training. President Clinton, Vice President Gore, and I agree with this approach. It's not the easy road, but it's the road to success.