My objection, as a childless tax payer, is that private schools are not accountable to people like me.
Public schools have some accountability to people without children. We benefit from a good education system just like people with children, and our votes in the public system count for just as much as someone with a child. We can attend board meetings, vote for members of the board, and prioritize educational reforms when selecting candidates for other offices.
Private schools, as I understand, are broadly accountable under ESA rules and to the parents they serve directly. They are not very accountable to the broader public.
Parents with children in public schools face the same issue: They get to vote on one system while parents with children in private schools get to vote in two systems.
We can disagree about the level of public school accountability, but private schools are much less accountable to the general public than public schools are. Ducey was partially correct when he said "It's the parents' money" because it's the non-parents' money as well. We aren't well-served by shuffling money from a public system with some accountability measures to a system that is not accountable to us.
Ok, I have a grandson who has learning disabilities and that money goes with him to his private school. He is 16 and struggled at very good district schools. Not their fault as school districts in this state have been starved for decades. Vouchers (I understand the semantics) are just another cut in the system which will continue to dwindle by many cuts. It’s all a sham. Call it choice, I call it how to destroy an institution that has rules and regulations that strangle administration, (physical plant) facilities and teachers. Decades ago, Republicans decided to rebel against teachers as most voted Democratic. The camels nose under the tent, then charter schools, tedious audits, now vouchers. Why not give district students $7000 to spend on tutors, supplies, cultural and sports activities and transportation need? Why can’t district student show their preference?
Enjoyed the article Billy. Two comments. First, my experience has been different than you describe. I don’t receive then spend it. I seem to have to pay the tuition portion and then show I paid it and I get reimbursed. Regardless, your comment about private schools taking public money…. They aren’t. They are taking money from individuals who get that money from various sources. The money is fungible.
My objection, as a childless tax payer, is that private schools are not accountable to people like me.
Public schools have some accountability to people without children. We benefit from a good education system just like people with children, and our votes in the public system count for just as much as someone with a child. We can attend board meetings, vote for members of the board, and prioritize educational reforms when selecting candidates for other offices.
Private schools, as I understand, are broadly accountable under ESA rules and to the parents they serve directly. They are not very accountable to the broader public.
Parents with children in public schools face the same issue: They get to vote on one system while parents with children in private schools get to vote in two systems.
We can disagree about the level of public school accountability, but private schools are much less accountable to the general public than public schools are. Ducey was partially correct when he said "It's the parents' money" because it's the non-parents' money as well. We aren't well-served by shuffling money from a public system with some accountability measures to a system that is not accountable to us.
Ok, I have a grandson who has learning disabilities and that money goes with him to his private school. He is 16 and struggled at very good district schools. Not their fault as school districts in this state have been starved for decades. Vouchers (I understand the semantics) are just another cut in the system which will continue to dwindle by many cuts. It’s all a sham. Call it choice, I call it how to destroy an institution that has rules and regulations that strangle administration, (physical plant) facilities and teachers. Decades ago, Republicans decided to rebel against teachers as most voted Democratic. The camels nose under the tent, then charter schools, tedious audits, now vouchers. Why not give district students $7000 to spend on tutors, supplies, cultural and sports activities and transportation need? Why can’t district student show their preference?
Enjoyed the article Billy. Two comments. First, my experience has been different than you describe. I don’t receive then spend it. I seem to have to pay the tuition portion and then show I paid it and I get reimbursed. Regardless, your comment about private schools taking public money…. They aren’t. They are taking money from individuals who get that money from various sources. The money is fungible.