Vouchers wrong way to improve state education

Bill Bennett, the distinguished conservative author and former U.S. Secretary of Education, has agreed to serve as an honorary co-chairman of a ballot proposal that seeks to allow school vouchers in our state.

Bennett said in a news statement the school voucher choice effort underway in Michigan is a "wakeup call" for those who truly believe in opening educational opportunity for everyone and in rescuing thousands of children from schools that are failing them."

When did the public school system begin its downward slide as Bennett indicated? What about the years Bennett served as secretary of the nation’s education department? Did he really improve public schools, or did he do a patch job?

By lending his support to the ballot proposal, promoted by Kids First! Yes!, the former secretary is not reaching out to correct a problem, if one truly exists.

The petition drive to place the voucher proposal on the ballot in 2000 would allow public dollars to be spent on vouchers that students could use at private and parochial schools.

The state Constitution prohibits the spending of public tax dollars for private education.

To get the proposal on the ballot, its backers need 302,711 signatures, which should be achieved in a presidential election year.

The American Federation of Teachers accurately criticized the voucher plan: Instead of watering down a public school system that its opponents claim is failing, why not take corrective steps to improve it by working in tandem with teachers and parents to make it happen.

If the state was to approve a voucher plan, allowing public tax funds to be spent on private school education, then would those same schools that accept voucher-paid students open their operational books to state inspectors?

Would those same schools agree to run their curriculum programs on the same level as public schools? And more importantly, would the private or parochial schools open their doors to the same kind of health and safety inspections that public schools receive?

What would happen if a private or parochial school faced a union organizing attempt.

Would the rights of those who sign petitions for union representation be upheld by the state’s labor laws?

Gov. John Engler has stated this is not the time for vouchers and he would not sign a petition to place the question on the ballot.

If the voucher backers truly care about education, then they should support the governor’s call to expand charter schools and also should hold public education accountable for better grades and higher graduation rates.

There are more than 150 charter schools around the state, equally visible in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. We agree with Engler’s proposal that the cap on charter schools should be lifted.

When a state charter grant is awarded to a school, that educational facility must also meet all public education curriculum guidelines.

Strengthen our existing public school systems across the state, and where a district believes there is a need for a charter school, then it should be supported.

School voucher transfers just would transfer public funds to privately-held schools that do not have to live by the same public school guidelines.

Bill Bennett failed to do his homework before agreeing to be an honorary co-chairman of a project that spells trouble for schoolchildren.