Teacher unions oppose any measure that will allow low-income parents to opt out of a public school. It allows the parents of children who are trapped in failing schools where they are not getting an education to transfer them to a school where they can get an education, if they believe that is the best thing for their child. Parents who are financially able make that choice every day. Low-income people, especially minorities, support the use of vouchers, public opinion polls show. Research indicates that where vouchers are employed, competition brings about improvement in the public schools.
Vouchers are a good vehicle to help low-income children.
Tax credits are a viable alternative, however, and providing them is easier to accomplish because opponents have less ammunition. The usual argument against helping the trapped students by providing them with vouchers is that it would take money from the public schools. It is an argument irrelevant to the issue, but even that argument could not be employed in this case. Nor could the equally erroneous argument that it violates the separation of church and state. It should be speedily reconciled with a slightly different version already approved by the House, and sent to the governor.