Does School Choice Boost Community Action?
Last week, the House passed a largely symbolic measure to reauthorize the District of Columbia school-voucher program. The measure is unlikely to go anywhere in the Senate and is opposed by the White House. The voucher concept is gaining ground among Republicans, however, as a way to promote more parental and local involvement in schools. The Indiana House passed a voucher bill a day after the vote on the D.C. voucher program, part of an education agenda being pushed by Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels.
Opponents of vouchers, including the White House, say they are a poor use of taxpayer dollars and are not an effective way of improving student achievement. Americans United for Separation of Church and State says vouchers force taxpayers to subsidize religious schools.
That's the national debate on school choice. At the local level, people feel disconnected from the schools in their communities, according to a new study from the United Way. People say they want more community involvement in children's education, particularly by faith leaders; 86 percent of respondents said "faith communities need to play a greater role in helping children succeed."
Is the frustration with local schools explored by the United Way study a problem with the education system or with other community and socioeconomic issues? Are people happier with their community's schools if they have more alternatives? Are the concepts of school choice and community involvement intertwined? Or are they separate issues? How can communities boost local school activity without imposing a taxpayer-funded voucher system?
-- Fawn Johnson, NationalJournal.com
RESPONDED ON APRIL 4, 2011 9:53 AM
School Choice: A Battering Ram
In the past, school choice advocates used to claim that competition would improve the local public schools, but they seem to have given up on that hope in light of Milwaukee's twenty years of vouchers. In Milwaukee, there has been no improvement in the Milwaukee schools and continued unimpressive results for students in voucher schools. So now choice advocates claim that school choice builds community. But communities of choice come at a high price, because they cause collateral damage to neighborhood schools.
The best way to build community is to strengthen neighborhood public schools. After all, children and families live in geographic communities, where services and problems are mutually experienced and affect everyone. Democracy begins in local communities, where neighbors have the opportunity to work together to improve their neighborhood and solve its needs.
Unfortunately, school choice programs today tend to shatter neighborhoods and to set neighbor against neighbor. In New York City, for instance, charter operators flood neighborhoods w...
Read More