Varieties of Social Unrest
There are many social upheavals today. I remember the isolated incidents of the 60-70’s. I moved to Miami in 1980 and some friends questioned my sanity pointing to the recent burning of Liberty City. Those of us then alive remember the horrid images of the riots in LA. In the past two years, it has been defunding of the police, the importation of the National Guard, the burning and rioting in several cities and the uncalled for killing of George Floyd. One less observed matter has been the growing unrest with education in the public schools. It does not bode well for an easy not quick resolution.
Financing Education
Today’s news carries one of the many reports on a variety of social issues that highlights the current cultural revolution in America. A school choice case was filed on Tuesday in the Ohio judicial system.
One hundred Ohio school districts sued the state over its current voucher program. The program is known as EdChoice which assists with tuition vouchers more than 60,000 private school students. EdChoice was enacted in 1996. Here is the rationale of the opponents of the program. They argue that it unfairly pulls money away from the state’s public school system. Supporters claim funding has increased for public schools in the state. The plaintiffs are asking for a temporary restraint on the voucher program until the case is decided.
Conundrum Question
Now here is one of those conundrums that I questioned when about ten years of age though in bit different form. My question then was, “Why, Dad, do Aunt Ida and Uncle Charles pay school taxes? They do not have children.” The answer given to me then was because everyone benefits from their taxes which help educate the children of their community. Ok, that made some sense, though I did not completely buy it. I would agree that this is the intent, but it is not the reality.
Rationale Unreasonable
Now here then is my question about the hundred Ohio school districts filing the suit mentioned above. If school taxes are collected to educate the children of the community, why is it not considered consider appropriate to grant vouchers to pay for students to attend private schools? If the tax money is intended to educate and the private school is doing so, even better, and cheaper than the public school, what is the issue? Some people, I understand, will object because many of the private schools are run by religious organizations and that, it is argued, violates the separation of church and state. However, that argument is bogus since the public school also is a religious institution.
Secularism Is Religion
Now that last statement many readers may find contradictory since the public school is areligious. But the public school is not areligious. Secularism is a religion. It teaches evolution as fact and repudiates creation. It is antigod which is itself a religious position. It is increasingly antifamily which is a religious position. It opposes humankind as male and female which is an antigod position. Antigod is a religious commitment.
Performance Motivates
Any parent in Ohio who reads this US News report is going to opt for a voucher and send their child to a private school. “Research has consistently shown that private school students tend to perform better in standardized tests. The National Assessment of Educational Progress, which is often referred to as “the nation’s report card,” assesses both public and private school students in subjects such as math, reading, science and writing. The most recent NAEP data shows what other research has found: Private school students score better in almost all subjects.”[1]
Driving Force
With these statistics in view, one must ask what is driving this tenacious determination to defund the voucher system in Ohio and block similar systems in other jurisdictions? Could it be an antigod agenda? Could it be a geopolitical agenda? Could it be to cover up the inefficiency of the management of the public-school sector? Could be the embarrassment of failure?
Competition Challenges
Competition has always been the American way. Offer an equal or better product more efficiently both in value and cost and you win the buying public. Such competition would produce a better education from inner city to suburbia. Yes, there will be growing pains. Some schools will close, and ineffective teachers will lose jobs as will the extraneous administrative positions evaporate. Parents will become more involved.
Will vouchers be the cure all for the contemporary educational mess we now face? No! Will it help and will it give students from failing systems the option of a better performing school? Yes!
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[1] https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/articles/private-school-vs-public-school