Tammy Bruce: Utah's New School Voucher Program

Utah's New School Voucher Program

A post by Maynard

This could turn out to be very important news, so it should be on your radar.

Two weeks ago, Gov. Huntsman of Utah quietly signed Utah's groundbreaking school voucher bill. This will go a long way to giving parents a choice in the education of their children. It will introduce competition into the school system, so that public schools will be motivated to perform. It will help break the monopoly of the teachers' unions (that is, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers), which are hugely powerful political organizations, and are quite effective at sucking up taxpayer money while blocking school reform.

You should be aware that in the list of top all-time donors to political parties, the NEA is #4 and the AFT is #15. That money goes almost exclusively to Democrats. It's no coincidence that Democrats oppose meaningful educational reform at every turn. However, the Democrats always favor programs that pour more money into existing, failing educational structures. This is essentially a magical money machine, with dollars flowing from taxpayers into the pockets of the unions, who recycle it back to the Democrats to keep the system going. I might find the corruption ignorable, except for the small detail that the schools are doing a lousy job at teaching.

The Utah law is the first in the nation to be universal. It's not a band-aid targeted at limited areas or limited applicants.

Naturally, the opponents of vouchers are moving quickly to kill the new law. There is talk of a challenge on the basis of separation of church and state, since vouchers may go to schools with a religious orientation. (For the record, this issue was resolved long ago with respect to the G.I. Bill of Rights, which paid for the college tuition of veterans. The subsidy was considered legal because it was the individual, not the government, that was making decisions; hence there was no question of a state religion.)

In case the court challenges fail, the opponents of vouchers are already petitioning for repeal.

I think we all need to step back and watch what happens in Utah. Considering the poor state of the nation's schools, and the excellent science that validates the existing voucher programs, it's high time somebody offered vouchers on a larger scale. We need to set politics aside and pay attention to reality. We've been sacrificing our children at the altar of special interests and political dogma for far too long.

Posted by Maynard · March 3, 2007 10:53 PM · Permalink
Education | Good News | Maynard Post | Politics

Comments

"It's for the children"
Finally something that really is going to benefit the children. And that it will save tax dollars is an added bonus. It is no secret that private schools do a better job at half the cost.

Posted by: botg at March 4, 2007 06:23 AM

Do not worry, if it is ever put into place, some Judge somewhere State or Federal will stop it ,saying "it is Unconstitutional"
Liberals and Socialists and Labor Unions can not and will not stand for competition !
Guttless Politicians will back them all the way .

Posted by: raygarb at March 4, 2007 07:25 AM

Opposition to vouchers by Dems who know that the existing public school system is a failure is a vile form of corruption. It sentences these kids to a life of hopelessness and the Dems know it. What's really hideous is that not only do the Dems do this because they are owned by the unions. They also know that these uneducated students grow up and vote Dem. Never Republican. It is hideous. Yet the Dem constituencies, who are mostly in favor of vouchers keep voting for Dems. No price to pay, no change in policy. Talk about keeping people on the plantation.

Posted by: Lib85 at March 4, 2007 08:08 AM

"For the record, this issue was resolved long ago with respect to the G.I. Bill of Rights, which paid for the college tuition of veterans. The subsidy was considered legal because it was the individual, not the government, that was making decisions; hence there was no question of a state religion"

The legal distinction that would be drawn with the GI Bill of Rights versus state/local voucher programs, and the distinction that HAS been drawn in getting courts to dismantle some of them, is that the GI Bill of Rights was federal, and therefore bound only by the federal constitution. 49 of the 50 state constitutions contain what's called a "Blaine Amendment," named after late-19th century senator George Blaine (ironically, his native Maine is the only one without one). Blaine Amendments are much more overt than the federal First Amendment, because their motive at the time they were adopted was anti-Catholic discrimination: they talk not about establishment of religion, but about public funds being spent "directly or indirectly" on religious schools. The solution, of course, is to point out the bigotry behind them and get them repealed, but the ease of amending state constitutions varies very dramatically from one state to another.

Posted by: Dave J at March 4, 2007 08:22 AM

I am totally excited to see what takes place in Utah. Nine years ago, I delivered a research outline for a class on the topic of school vouchers. Where vouchers have been implemented, it has brought up the quality of the school environment and education - that is a fact. The naysayers do nothing more than offer excuses, really. They cannot refute the facts (or offer solutions) so they base their bias on school choice claiming children will miss out on diversity, having equal access (to what? poor school environments and gang activity?), and it's impossible to transport these children to the various schools their parents want for them - if the children are accepted. Those are just a few of the arguments, and believe me, as a former inner-city high school teacher in Chicago, I have heard every excuse. What I have NOT seen are the magical solutions promised by teacher's unions and various political whacks.

My time teaching in Chicago's Humboldt Park area was a wonderful example of how tax dollars are not going to work for these kids. I can tell you first hand that the money did not come down to where it was suppose to: helping the students and teachers in the classroom or improving the school environment. For all the money pouring in, how is it that teachers cannot get the supplies they NEED in order to get their classroom functioning? If the money was going where needed, why were several Chicago school lunchrooms (including where I taught) closed due to rat infestations just 2 years ago? If the money was going where needed, why are so many still entering high school unable to read, write, analyze or calculate? And why is it that many going into the teaching professions quit before their 5th year of teaching? The bureaucracy is the problem in all cases (and I haven't even mentioned all the 'cases')! Even the students know this to some degree!

The current system serves the elites - not the students or communities. There is more of a concern on the part of the bureaucrats in keeping their comfortable positions (away from a classroom, for sure) than ensuring the education of young people. The politicians or union officials NEVER come to the schools unless it is for a photo-op. Having the issue is more important to holding onto their power than offering, even implementing, solutions.

As long as unions and other politically-motivated groups hold onto education, children will never be the concern or the focus UNLESS it serves the groups purpose.

Are there problems with a voucher system? Sure, but the responsibility is given back to the communities to solve - not a bunch of fatcats who are far removed from education and the communities. Currently, we pour billions into a system that keeps failing our students and communities. Continuing to pour those dollars into a failed system makes as much sense as paying the same plumber to fix the same leak that keeps leaking - and that's a point I've brought up time and time again in lectures.

Also, for the poor and violent communities many of the students I have served - and continue to serve - come from, a voucher system may motivate their parents to become more involved with their child's education and maybe with their child's overall well-being. When kid's have support in the home and at school, it can change their lives and motivate them in so many ways. Believe me, even kids in gangs get excited when they achieve something toward their education.

One thing BOTG pointed out: true, private schools do operate on less money than public schools. Also know that private school teachers/administrators usually do not make near as much as public school teachers, nor do they have as many benefits (some have none!). So that's something that should be considered. All GOOD teachers truly need to be compensated for their own education and hard work as teaching is not at all for the faint of heart - and it requires so much more than teaching a subject.

Posted by: artgal at March 4, 2007 08:58 AM

Shoving more money into a money-grubbing bureaucracy-hole only benefits worthless and corrupt administrators. Vouchers are a good idea.
But having said that, the real problem with schools isn't so much crappy teachers (though they are a problem) or infrastucture, it's the motivation of students themselves. Typically this is determined by the parent. No matter how great a school is, what can one expect if a student does not pay attention or do homework? The biggest problem is that disruptive kids are no longer punished and failing kids no longer held back. The P.C. policy of the: "its somebody else's fault" liberal coddling of kids today is the real problem.

Posted by: helpunderdog at March 4, 2007 12:30 PM

I work for a school district with over 12 schools. The money wasted is criminal. Money will not help educate these kids that have no discipline, cause thousands of dollars damage each day to our schools, don't want to be there or arrive thinking it's an all day social hangout. we fight against terrorists yet ignore the gang takeover in our schools and society. It's good to want our kids to be educated. It's a dream thinking more money is the answer. To watch kids physically kick doors out with no accountability is absurd. We are reaping yet another fallout from social decay I hold the movie and music industries responsible for. Parents would be shocked to see the behavior of their kids while at schools. Sad part is most could care less. They want the govt. to raise their kids 24/7 if they could get it.

Posted by: sailinsoul at March 4, 2007 01:18 PM

There’s another front in the education battle—home schooling. Keeping in mind their love of international law and how enamored American liberals are of Europe, this story should give warning.

Melissa Busekros is a 15-year-old teenager living in Germany. She was told she would have to repeat the 7th grade because she had bad grades in math and Latin. She evidently needs some sort of classroom assistance which was not available. She had good grades in other subjects so her parents decided to home school her instead of having her repeat the entire year.

A Hitler era law forbidding home schooling is still in effect in Germany and supported by today’s German authorities. Advocating home schooling may be prosecuted as high treason and incitement of the people against the authorities. Parents who home school their children have been imprisoned.

In response to the parents’ action, The Youth Welfare Office appealed to the local Family Court, which ordered Melissa and her parents to appear at a hearing. Eventually Melissa was forcibly removed from her home and subjected to psychiatric evaluation. The psychiatrist determined Melissa has “school phobia” and ruled it isn't possible “for the parents to judge the danger to their daughter correctly, and make the necessary decisions about the daughter's further development or the type and length of the treatment and the schooling, the responsibility for her residence, healthcare and representation before officials and authorities should rest with the youth welfare office in Erlangen.”

Melissa’s family is barred indefinitely from seeing her because the official approach to cases of “school phobia” is to prevent contact with family, supposedly because such contact enables the phobia.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled the right to education "by its very nature calls for regulation by the State" and upheld this Hitlerian law.

Article 29 of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child stipulates that it is the goal of the state to direct the education of children. In Belgium, the U.N. Convention is currently being used to limit the constitutional right to home-school. In 1995 Britain was told that it violated the U.N. Convention by allowing parents to remove their children from public school sex-education classes.

Many Germans who want to home school their children are from former Eastern Bloc countries. They say German schools have fallen into the hands of neo-Marxists. The same is happening here. How long before home schooling is banned here?

What about the implications of the UN Rights of the Child for such things as forced vaccinations for STDs?

A German Horror Story
http://www.canadafreepress.com/2007/brussels022807.htm

Fifteen year old homeschooler forcibly admitted into mental hospital
http://www.netzwerk-bildungsfreiheit.de/html/pe_erlangen_en.html

Psychiatric report
http://www.helmut-boegelein.de/Urteil_Wiesses_ueber_Melissa_auf_Englisch.html

Posted by: pat_s at March 4, 2007 02:09 PM

good point by artgal
Are there problems with a voucher system? Sure, but the responsibility is given back to the communities to solve - not a bunch of fatcats who are far removed from education and the communities. Currently, we pour billions into a system that keeps failing our students and communities
the power returns to parents and the local community, excellent!
Also, would not the extra funds of the vouchers provide more benefits and pay for the educators in private schools?

Posted by: botg at March 4, 2007 03:22 PM

For BOTG: As far as the extra funds go, I would LOVE to see it all reflected in teacher pay & benefits. I know that has been the case in some of the examples I cited in the research outline I mentioned in the previous post. It remains to be seen what will happen in Utah. But I know part of the goal w/ school vouchers - besides improving education & environment - is to bring up teacher morale through better pay/incentives. I'm sure the funds, too, would eliminate the argument the naysayers bring up regarding transportation for students as well.

Posted by: artgal at March 4, 2007 06:48 PM

I could imagine Ms. Clinton supporting a law like Germany's. It would fit neatly into her worldview. The public schools are doomed and don't realize it yet, but their death throes are likely to make them dangerous.

Posted by: brutepcm at March 5, 2007 03:00 AM

i agree with raygarb, the ACLU and the NEA will step in and have some moronic liberal social engineer/judge declare this unconstitutional. this is a law that should have been in effect throughout the nation years ago. it seems however that our politicians don't have the guts to stand up for whats right (and effective), they seem to be more worried about their reelection than doing what needs to be done. schools need to start teaching the math, english and science and stop with the political correctness indoctrination that seems to be the norm nowadays.

Posted by: geocon at March 6, 2007 08:34 AM

School district: Sixth graders had sex in class
Found on today's news. I add this to my post above. Our public schools are out of control. Money is not the answer. It's the laid back, me me me, I don't have to, spoiled vulgar brats we've allowed to disrupt our schools. Parents of spoiled brats see school administrators as The Enemy. And with the Liberal Left and ACLU backing them, schools have caved.

Posted by: sailinsoul at March 6, 2007 06:50 PM

By Category

By Month

Utah's New School Voucher Program

Comments

Post a comment