School Vouchers LunchBytes
On Thursday April 19th, Joe Baker and Scott Lanning presented "For" and "Against" school vouchers. Both presentations and the question and answer period that followed were 20 minutes in length. Just click on the respective link below to hear the recording.
After listening you may want to post comments by clicking on the "Comments" link below and thus continue the dialog about school vouchers.
Joe's Presentation: http://www.li.suu.edu/lunchbytes/joe_baker.mp3
Joe's PowerPoint: http://www.li.suu.edu/lunchbytes/joebaker.ppt
Scott's Presentation: http://www.li.suu.edu/lunchbytes/scott_lanning.mp3
Scott's PowerPoint: http://www.li.suu.edu/lunchbytes/scottlanning.ppt
Questions from the audience: http://www.li.suu.edu/lunchbytes/questions.mp3
posted by John Bryner @ 3:38 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
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I'm still not convinced that the least expensive students won't take their vouchers and flee the public schools, leaving the most expensive students at the public schools. This report seems to support the "creaming" effect:
http://www.civilrightsproject.harvard.edu/
research/deseg/Private_Schools.pdf
Here are a couple more peer reviewed articles that acknowledge the "creaming" effect:
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=
0276-8739%28199822%2917%3A3%3C373
%3AEVECAC%3E2.0.CO%3B2-7
http://links.jstor.org/sici?
sici=0895-3309%28200223%2916
%3A4%3C3%3ASVACV%3E2.0.CO
%3B2-9
The free market has created great benefits for American society. So I am content to let it operate unrestricted in many ways, but not in this way. I don't mind that the wealthy can buy privileges, but not this privilege. The privileged class can have a better car, a better house, a better vacation, hire servants, and buy conveniences and services that I can’t afford – I don’t mind at all. But when they can buy a better education for their children than I can afford to buy for my children – that I can’t abide. Montesque said, and Jefferson agreed, that education was the governing principle of a democracy. If even education in America cannot provide equal opportunity, then democracy has failed. We have truly returned to an aristocracy. The privileged class cannot help but want this privilege as they want every other privilege. But when they get it, they will have destroyed the very basis of equal opportunity upon which they, or their fathers or grandfathers, acquired the wealth that purchases their privileges.
I would support school vouchers only on this condition, that the schools that receive voucher money share the burden of educating the underprivileged. In those schools, one in five should be underprivileged. The underprivileged might be defined as those with an I.Q. below 90 or an annual family income below $25,000.
Voucher opponents are gathering signatures to place the voucher issue before the voters as a citizen initiative, as is their right under Utah law. Opponents are displaying banners proclaiming, "Let Utah Voters Decide." Should Utah voters decide in favor of vouchers, will opponents put away their banners, file suit, and "Let Utah Judges Decide?" Wouldn't it be fantastically disingenuous to wave the flag of direct democracy, then ask for judicial relief? They wouldn't dare do that...would they?
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