School Vouchers Analyzed

10 Pages 2505 Words

Proposals to use private school vouchers, a marketplace strategy, as a
mechanism by which to improve the general quality of public education have
produced a lively debate. Frequently, that debate has degenerated into a
disagreement about whether public schools are as good as private schools or
whether a given private school is better than a certain neighborhood public
school.Other issues raised in these discussions include the appropriate use of
public funds, the role of competition in improving public education, and the
right of parents to choose a school for their children. Although these
issues are of interest, they are not the fundamental questions which must be
raised about the future of public schools in a democracy.Two Core Issues
In their rush to the marketplace, the proponents of private school choice
supported by public funds have chosen to ignore two core issues. First, the
advocates of private school choice studiously avoid any discussion of the
relationship between public schools and the common or public good in a
democracy. As an example, the Governor of Wisconsin asserts that "any school
that serves the public is a public school" and should therefore receive
public funds through a voucher system. There is no recognition in this
proposal of the distinct and unique purpose of public education in serving
the public good. This rhetorical sleight-of-hand does not mean that a
private school of choice becomes a public school in purpose simply by so
defining it. The claim is merely a device to divert public funds for private
purposes.
The failure to recognize that public schools have a central responsibility in
a democratic society is further evidenced by the work of John Chubb and Terry
Moe, who argue that improving the efficiency and quality of public education
will require the replacement of democratic governance by market mechanisms.
The authors state, "The most basic...