Why is the Democratic-controlled Congress against private school vouchers for poor students?

Question

http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/01/23/sotu.education.ap/index.html

Can anyone provide a source that states the already determined dollar ammounts of the vouchers that at this point don't exist? I just haven't seen proof that the vouchers would not be enough to cover a tuition, because I didn't know the ammount was fixed and already decided...

Answer 1

Because the teachers unions have them in their pocket.

They give them big bucks and provide union power for their candidates. The unions take money out of the paychecks of all teachers (even those who don't want to give their money to politicians) and give it to the liberals they support.

The unions don't want standards being applied to them and they don't want to be held accountable for their failings. Its a racket.

They support a small number of liberal Republicans who are Republican In Name Only (RINO).

Vouchers ARE NOT WELFARE! Those kids in failing districts have every right to equal schooling. If the public schools can't teach little black kids to read and write than those parents should have the option to use the tax money to send their kids to a good private school instead.

Besides. Private schools are a bargain. They educate at a fraction of what it cost public schools. Plus they do a better job.

Private school kids kick the public kids butt every time when it comes to test time.

Answer 2

The Democrats would rather fix (fund) the poor schools than let some student leave, while others are stuck there.

The performance of a school is based on it's report card (how well the students do in state-certified tests). To get a voucher, I believe, you have to perform to a certain standard on these tests. So, if those who were eligible for the vouchers took them and left the school, all that would remain would be the kids who need more help. In turn, the schools report card would fall even more, they would lose more academic funding, and the school, if it did not perform well enough within a certain amount of time, would be taken over by the federal government under the No Child Left Behind Act. My high school almost was.

Instead, Democrats like to fund the current schools, so each student can get the same education. It's not far to send those who can perform better on tests to one school, while those who cannot have to stay at the underachieving school. Increase the funding of the school system, give the teachers more cash to buy equipment with, or better yet, hire more teachers, and within a few years, the school will be performing better.

Answer 3

The devil is in the details - look at tuition rates and look at voucher dollar amounts, and you will see that the vouchers do NOT help poor people because they still cannot come up with the differential; they DO help middle class to wealthy who can afford the difference. This is yet another one of those proposals designed to be a talking point, not designed to actually solve the problem.

Try to propose a bill that will actually help poor people get a good education, they see who supports it and who does not.

I'm going by the states that already have voucher programs and all the proposed dollars I have heard, coupled with our reluctance to fully fund anything lately.

Answer 4

Think about this. You are a poverty stricken student. Your family has barely enough money to pay for rent in a delapidated apartment complex. All of a sudden, they are told that they can receive a voucher for $1000 for you to go to a private school. The private school cost $6000 a semester...what can they do? Do not be decieved, this voucher program is for rich students whose rich parents live in grand mansions, where they go to private schools anyway. They will be happy about their $1000 savings.

Answer 5

Good, its about time they did something right. If they start allowing anyone is private schools then they arent private anymore and then they become pulbic schools which is what the original people wanted to keep their kids away from in the first place. Ding!

Smuggler, thats the thing about private schools, they arent really funded by the governement, thats why they are allowed to teach what they want (such as religion).

John, maybe there is a reason Private schools kick azz, because they dont have than dang riff raff in there as the public schools, you introduce that in you are turning private schools into public schools. period.
And I am sorry, but you arent paying for it and someone else is and its welfare. And that is a luxury welfare right there.

Answer 6

The power of the Democratic Party is found in unions. The most powerful and numerous of which are the teachers union spread throughout the country. To support private schools would directly weaken them and hurt their main pillar of support.

Answer 7

Why in Gods name should the government fund private schooling for some kids?
Perhaps the money would be better spent on improving the schools we have now.
Maybe parents should send their kids to school with less attitude and more of a willingness to learn.
Maybe kids shouldn't be such spoiled little brats and the parents should believe the teachers over their kids.
I mean there are countless reasons why private school vouchers is one of his dumber ideas.

I went to private school and my parents paid for it, could they get a retroactive voucher to reimburse them for 12 years of private schooling for four children?
What the heck happened to personal responsibility and wanting to make a better life to your kids.
If your kids school sucks, move or do something to make the school better, dont look to the government to fix it for you.

Answer 8

The more kids in private schools, the less Power The Teachers' Union & The Democrat Party has.
Everything is about MONEY & POWER.

Answer 9

I personally feel very strongly, that we should fix our public schools, instead of shipping kids off to private schools.

The answer to your question however might be this quote:

The proposal also would enable school administrators, in some circumstances, to ignore provisions of union contracts linked to staffing.

It's a terrible thing but our Representatives are for the most part beholden to their respective "voting blocs."

Answer 10

Since when can poor students afford to go to a private school ?