Bobby Jindal Defends Louisiana School Vouchers, Says Equal Education Opportunity Is A Lie
WASHINGTON -- Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) took to the nation's capital on Tuesday to make the case for school vouchers.
"To oppose school choice is to put the wishes of the adults who control the status quo ahead of the needs of our children," Jindal said. "To oppose school choice is to oppose equal opportunity."
As the Republican Party tries to reconnect with voters, and as Republican state legislators try to expand school voucher programs, Jindal, a rising GOP star who heads the Republican Governors Association, is driving his points on education and pro-market reforms with strong language. School vouchers use taxpayer money to pay for students to attend private schools, but there is limited evidence of their success. Under Jindal, Louisiana expanded its voucher system dramatically, but a court recently struck down the program.
"We're taking our fight to the state Supreme Court, and I'm confident that we'll prevail," Jindal said at a Brookings
"To oppose school choice is to put the wishes of the adults who control the status quo ahead of the needs of our children," Jindal said. "To oppose school choice is to oppose equal opportunity."
As the Republican Party tries to reconnect with voters, and as Republican state legislators try to expand school voucher programs, Jindal, a rising GOP star who heads the Republican Governors Association, is driving his points on education and pro-market reforms with strong language. School vouchers use taxpayer money to pay for students to attend private schools, but there is limited evidence of their success. Under Jindal, Louisiana expanded its voucher system dramatically, but a court recently struck down the program.
"We're taking our fight to the state Supreme Court, and I'm confident that we'll prevail," Jindal said at a Brookings
Fiscal Cliff Would Hurt Young Children, Advocates Warn
As headlines warn of a looming fiscal cliff that could result in massive cuts to government programs, advocates are worrying about the fates of people who can’t yet read them.
“You hear a lot of people who want to protect defense or different tax cuts,” said Patricia Cole, the policy director for Zero to Three, a Washington-based organization that advocates for young children. “But there's not a real champion out there saying, ‘You know, we really need to take children off the table, especially young children'.”
Early-childhood education advocates, including Cole, recently reached out to President Barack Obama and congressional leaders in an effort to protect programs that serve low-income young children. Twenty-three experts in infant and toddler development, all members of the board of Zero to Three, wrote letters to Obama last week arguing that cuts to federal programs for young low-income children could place them at “significant risk for falling behind on the path to school readiness.”
“You hear a lot of people who want to protect defense or different tax cuts,” said Patricia Cole, the policy director for Zero to Three, a Washington-based organization that advocates for young children. “But there's not a real champion out there saying, ‘You know, we really need to take children off the table, especially young children'.”
Early-childhood education advocates, including Cole, recently reached out to President Barack Obama and congressional leaders in an effort to protect programs that serve low-income young children. Twenty-three experts in infant and toddler development, all members of the board of Zero to Three, wrote letters to Obama last week arguing that cuts to federal programs for young low-income children could place them at “significant risk for falling behind on the path to school readiness.”