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In respnse to M.C.:
I am also a tax-paying parent, but, unlike you, my income is not sufficient to allow me to send my children to a Jewish day school, which I would love to do. A voucher program might allow me that choice.
- J. P. -0/1-/2002 |
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The foreigner also may not be aware that "government" is not solely national, but state, municipal, and district as well. In the multi level federal system that constitutes the various governments of the United States, different elector and populations what different things, and define "education" differently. If vouchers for these nonpublic schools are not the way to go, then let parents organize private teaching unions, and reduce the government outlays, and thus public school resources commensurately. Or let the vouchers be forthcoming.
-0/1-/2002 |
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I am a "tax-paying parent". And, I chose to enroll my children in a private school. So, you can stop looking forward "to the day when all tax-paying parents will be able to choose their children's schools". That day is here. So choose.
- M. C. -0/1-/2002 |
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In my opinion the voucher does not mean that the government supports private schools; it means that THE GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS ALL THE TAXPAYERS and allows citizens and parents to choose where they want their children educated.
- C. K. -0/1-/2002 |
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It seems that "M.C." below is choosing not to get Rabbi Shafran's excellent point about school choice. Only the truly rich can say that they don't care about $80,000 -- which is about the minimum cost of 12 years of school. By forcing all parents to pay for public school for their children, whether or not they attend, and providing no support whatsoever to those parents who school their children privately, the government is engaging in an extreme level of financial coercion.
- K. M. -0/1-/2002 |
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The current growth of the home schooling movement shows that people who care for their children will go to great lengths to get them a proper education. The fact that people are willing (when they are able) to pay double tuition shows how much of a failure the public school system is. The fact that home schooled children are showing up in the top ranks of national exams (see how many home schooled children were in the national spelling bee and where they finished) is itself an indictment of the public school system.
Peole who are forced to send their children to private school (or even home school them) are paying full tuition (via taxes) for something which they get no benefit from. People who do not send their children to public school should at least be allowed to deduct the tuition, if not get vouchers.
- H. M. -0/1-/2002 |
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Use of the word "freedom" here is strained. A foreigner reading this would likely think that US parents are *forced* to send their children to public schools, and that only these parents pay taxes. Like many taxpayers, I no longer have children of school age. I believe it would be bad for the country AND for Klal Yisroel if the government supported religious schools.
- H. C. -0/1-/2002 |
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This is not just a Jewish issue. Everyone's freedom is challenged by taking the position that only public schools are the way to go. I don't want anyone choosing for me where I'll put my children. Giving up such freedom to a central authority simply diminishes the strength of a federation of free people. Many public schools are failures, many are superb. Th citizen decides. Establish a national standard of academic achievement and let the school systems, private, religious, public and homeschools compete.
-0/1-/2002 |
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