From - Wed Feb 25 00:54:02 1998 Received: from server-122.marina.brandx.net (server-122.marina.brandx.net [206.117.28.122] (may be forged)) by belize.it.earthlink.net (8.8.7/8.8.5) with SMTP id TAA07983 for ; Tue, 24 Feb 1998 19:42:13 -0800 (PST) From: Murgoldman@aol.com Received: from imo22.mail.aol.com (unverified [198.81.19.150]) by server-122.marina.brandx.net (EMWAC SMTPRS 0.83) with SMTP id ; Tue, 24 Feb 1998 19:42:27 -0800 Received: from Murgoldman@aol.com by imo22.mx.aol.com (IMOv12/Dec1997) id JXVYa01062 for ; Tue, 24 Feb 1998 22:40:59 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <76c56ed5.34f39304@aol.com> Date: Tue, 24 Feb 1998 22:40:59 EST To: wdowns@cybercpa.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Subject: VOUCHERS.html Content-type: multipart/mixed; boundary="part0_888378099_boundary" X-Mailer: AOL 3.0 for Windows 95 sub 18 X-UIDL: 0e363500bf85cf5287f7370115f67c69 Status: U X-Mozilla-Status: 0001 Content-Length: 11278 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --part0_888378099_boundary Content-ID: <0_888378099@inet_out.mail.aol.com.1> Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII This is the second file in html format. Murray --part0_888378099_boundary Content-ID: <0_888378099@inet_out.mail.aol.com.2> Content-type: text/html; name="VOUCHE~1.HTM" Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable Content-disposition: inline PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS: MYTH vs

PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCH= ERS: MYTH vs. FACT

Promoters of "educational choice" = make many assertions about the positive effects of private school voucher= s on America=92s educational system. What would vouchers really do? Let= =92s examine some of the common myths about vouchers and review the facts= .

 

MYTH: Vouchers are a constitutional way to assist parochial and = other private schools.

 

FACT: Private sectarian schools account for 85 p= ercent of the total private school enrollment in the United States. Thes= e religiously affiliated institutions generally pervade their entire curr= iculum with religious dogma, indoctrinating students on controversial sub= jects such as abortion, creationism, and the role of women in society. B= ecause of the U. S. Constitution=92s church-state separation provisions, = government may not subsidize sectarian education. Federal courts have re= peatedly struck down various schemes designed to funnel tax dollars into = religious schools.

Many states have even stricter constituti= onal provisions that forbid the appropriation of public funds =96 direct = or indirect =96 for religious purposes. Recently, the Puerto Rico Suprem= e Court

Struck down a program that provided vouchers for tui= tion at religious schools, even though the law also provided funds for pu= blic school choice. No federal or state court has ever upheld using v= ouchers for private religious schools.

 

 

MYTH: The people support vouchers and other forms of= aid to parochial and other private schools.

 

FACT: Voters in 18 states and the District o= f Columbia have rejected various forms of parochial school aid in ballot = referenda. Most recently, California voters in 1993 trounced a voucher i= nitiative 70 percent to 30 percent. Only one state =96 Wisconsin =96 has= implemented a voucher plan, an experimental program in Milwaukee limited= to nonsectarian private schools. It has been very controversial = and resulted in a drawn-out court battle. The driving forces behind vouc= hers are not parents, but sectarian school lobbies and political fringe g= roups such as the Libertarian Party.

 

 

MYTH: Vouchers will ensure "parental choice&quo= t; in education.

 

FACT: When it comes to private schools, the= concept of "parental choice" in education is meaning- less. P= rivate school administrators have the only real choice concerning which c= hildren are admitted to the schools and which are not. They may reject v= irtually anyone applying to attend or to teach in private schools. No vo= ucher plan will change this fact.

 

 

Myth: Vouchers will make public schools better= by promoting competition in education.

 

FACT: There is simply no evidence to suppor= t this assertion. Competition may be fine for breakfast cereals, but it = could be disastrous for schools. Public and private schools don=92t comp= ete on an even playing field. Public schools must accept all children re= gardless of academic ability, physical handicap, or family background. P= rivate schools may reject any child with problems and enroll only the aca= demically gifted. Public schools will improve only if our government off= icials and the public decide to make a serious commitment to educational = quality. Diverting money away from public schools to private schools wil= l not achieve this goal, but will hurt the nation=92s public education sy= stem.

 

MYTH: The American public school system is failing = our children.

 

FACT: New studies indicate that American st= udents are among the best educated in the world. The U.S. has one of the= highest graduation rates and U.S. schools steer more students to college= than does any other country, even though many of those countries weed ou= t mediocre students. In many measures of academic achievement, the statu= s of U.S. students =96 with the majority educated in public school =96 co= ntinues to rise. Polls show that the vast majority of parents support th= e public schools their children attend and believe those schools are doin= g a good job. Vouchers will impede the public school system by draining = funding necessary to provide quality education for all children.

 

 

MYTH: Private schools provide a better education th= an public schools.

 

FACT: According to a recent Money ma= gazine study, private schools rank no better scholastically than comparab= le public schools. In essence, the best private schools are no better th= an the best public schools, and the average private school is no better t= han the average public school.

 

 

MYTH: Vouchers can be limited to certain private sc= hools.

 

FACT: Courts have ruled consistently that t= he government may not play favorites among religions or classes of people= . Attempts to limit vouchers to traditional parochial schools would only= raise an equal protection claim of religious discrimination. Therefore,= if enacted, voucher subsidies would be available to anyone sending a chi= ld to any private school, even those run by unusual or radical groups wit= h theologies or political views that most Americans may find distasteful.=

 

 

MYTH: Vouchers will correct the injustice of "= double taxation" for private school parents who must pay to support = a public school system they don=92t use.

 

FACT: "Double taxation" does not = exist. Private school tuition is not a tax; it is an additional e= xpense some parents have chosen to pay. All members of society are expec= ted to support certain basic public services such as the police and fire = departments, libraries and the public schools, whether they use them or n= ot. (Childless couples and single people, for instance, must still pay s= chool taxes.) We all have a vested interest in maintaining a strong publ= ic school system to make certain that our people are educated. Under a v= oucher plan, all taxpayers will face double taxation. They will h= ave to pay for public schools, then pay increased taxes to make up for fu= nds being channeled to parochial and other private schools.

 

 

MYTH: A voucher plan would empower poor families.

 

FACT: Private schools often charge high tui= tion. Since vouchers usually will not cover the full cost of tuition, th= e wealthy, who can already afford to pay private school tuition, will ben= efit the most. Low and middle-income families, who will not be able to a= fford the difference between the voucher and tuition costs, will be less = likely to benefit. Even if poor families could come up with the full tui= tion amount, few private schools are located in the nation=92s inner citi= es or other economically depressed areas. Fewer still are likely to admi= t children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Public schools remain the onl= y reliable educational resource for all American children.

 

MYTH: Private schools would be able to maintain the= ir independence while benefiting from a voucher program.

 

FACT: As a general rule, the government reg= ulates what it subsidizes. If the government underwrites private schools= financially, it has a right and a responsibility to ensure that the fund= s are being spent for sound educational services. Greater government scr= utiny of private education will be necessary. Vouchers open the door to = extensive state regulation of private schools.

 

* * * * * * * * * *&#= 9;* *

 

Americans volun= tarily support a wide variety of religious institutions and schools. The= y should not be forced to pay taxes for schools that teach religious view= s they disagree with. Vouchers are merely the first step toward full sta= te funding of religious schools. Vouchers will result in the enfeeblemen= t and ultimate destruction of the public school system, a catastrophe of = major proportions.

 

 

For more information about the dangers of vouchers

and what you can do to support religious freedom, co= ntact:

 

Americans United f= or Separation of Church and State

1816 Jefferson Place, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20036

 

(202) 466-3234

 

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