Our new secretary is all about vouchers and charter schools. Her argument is lower income families will benefit by bringing their tax dollars with them to a school of their choice.
My counter argument / thought: (all figures made up for this example) let’s say my real estate taxes include school funding at $3,000 per year for my district. Let’s also assume real estate taxes at another district are $1,500. Why am I being punished by having to pay $1,500 more for the same service?
Potential solution: the tax carrying student has to pay $1,500 out of pocket to attend a school in my district.
Is that what the voucher is? The missing $1,500 that comes out of my general taxes? So, I get double taxed?? How is that fair?
And now, charter schools. Again, all numbers made up. Let’s say my district calculates it costs $10,000 per year to educate a single student. If charter schools, FOR PROFIT entities, are going to educate that same student, how are they going to do it for less? The only way is to slash and I mean slash expenses. Our new secretary already admits she was unfamiliar with federal regulations regarding special education. What programs, classes, accommodations etc are going to be slashed? What poor teacher is going to have to work at a cut rate salary with limited benefits because of these slashed expense initiatives? There is no counter argument – unless the parents are paying costs and fees to make up the amounts between the $10,000 and the slashed budget, that child is not being properly educated. But don’t worry, the corporate owners and paid chronie board member friends will make out just fine.
But wait, isn’t that what these super rich, company empire owners want??? – an uneducated work force that ends up being indentured servants!!!
Let’s not go around saying we have the best education system in the world. We don’t. And I’ll be happy to debate anyone who says different.
Kevin Driscoll 