Vouchers Vs Alternative Schools

Why is there such a huge push and what does it mean for our education system? The revived debate over a vouchers and alternate schools of choice system has brought up old and some new questions. As before, rather than evidence both sides are making a lot of hyped up statements based on ideological or theoretical positions. There are several vouchers and alternate schools of choice systems up and running across the country. Although some of them have not been in place for long, we have enough data to gain an educated opinion. It is my opinion the use of vouchers and alternate schools of choice option can only lead to furthering the divide between the rich, and poor. The school of choice programs can leave gaps or shortages in enrollment and
When competition is introduced into the market the players then preform at a higher level. The U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos is the strongest advocate for the vouchers and alternate schools of choice system. She has given her own money in her home state before she became the secretary to help further the cause. (Maxwell) there is a strong belief that if given the freedom to choose the school a child attends, it will open educational opportunity never afforded to some of the children in our society. The voucher system works by giving each child a set amount to use towards tuition to any school they choose, opening the possibility for some children to attend private schools they would not have had the money to pay tuition on in the past. The other options would be; magnet, charter,
Stated in a report from UCLA they found that charter schools have higher rates of racial segregation more often than traditional public schools, similar results were found in Minnesota and North Carolina . (www.the74million.org) There is also the argument these programs are unconstitutional by violating separation of church and state. “Per the U.S. Department of Education, 76 percent of private schools have a religious affiliation and 80 percent of students attending private schools are religious institutions.” Opponents often refer to some of media coming out on the success of these programs as a war on public education, sighting such works as “Waiting for Superman,” “The War on Kids,” “The Cartel” and “The Lottery.” (www.au.org) Teachers are concerned about the ability to protect their rights to organize as well, since most school of choice programs utilize non-union teachers. Often the opposition suggest, this may be part of the push, conservatives are not typically supportive to unionize. The opponents of the vouchers and alternate schools of choice systems are adamant in their opinion that the diversion of public education funds to private schools will not only detrimentally damage the public-school system, they strongly believe it is already creating