Choose or Loose – Your Child Could be “Left Behind” Hochschild and Scovronick

Don't Shoot the Horse

It would be interesting to note if History has ever had a controversy which has found staunch opponents unified for a common cause as in the debate over School Choice. Citing that school vouchers offer an escape route; Robert Reich, former secretary of labor, The Black Alliance for Education Options, The Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options are found siding with President Bush along with the Institute for Justice, a libertarian think tank and law firm, on pro choice. In contrast, President Clinton, Hochschild and Scovronick, non-urbanites (the right) and republicans who don’t like vouchers and me…. find that School Choice is more of a political decision than an educational one.

Now, everyone has there grounds for their belief and desires, and I think they are all valid, if unfounded. This reform, based on benefiting the individual student is a contradiction of the very goal of the American Education system – for the good of all! I unequivocally agree “Vouchers will not be politically acceptable to the majority of Americans if they are designed to move more than small numbers of poor children into middle-class schools…” (Hochschild and Scovronick, page 123).

The voucher system was to be a feasible solution to the inequities and inadequacies of public education. Freedom of choice implies that you are free to participate in the opportunities that are presented. Public schools in wealthier districts have no room or are at capacity and only accept a “token” numbers. Private schools do not need the money nor the challenge of teaching at-risk voucher kids. In addition, charter and magnet schools have not shown significant improvements to classify them as “better” to date. In fact, the overall results of choice, has shown to be an improvement in self-esteem.

So what is the solution – looking for a solution, not a way out or escape route. We have had successful reform which was designed to fix these inequities such as the headstart program. Yes, its true our schools are failing but vouchers are not the answer…. however, some must feel the answer exists in charter, magnet, private and parochial schools, so why not incorporate what they are doing correctly. We are taking money from the school districts which can lease afford it. They will not and cannot become more competitive with less to work with. Has anyone thought this through to figure out what will happen then? I mean, what will happen will the “ghetto” schools have to close?

Limit vouchers to those who it was designed to help (the poor and disenfranchised) and they will disappear ...is not the answer either. They have only been useful for the poor in urban cities where transportation is available. I f your on a journey, in a wagon and the wheel breaks, fix the wagon – don’t shot the horse.