Comments on: Saxman to unveil school choice group today

By: Press Coverage: School Choice Virginia Launch : School Choice Virginia

Press Coverage: School Choice Virginia Launch : School Choice Virginia — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:15:07 +0000

[...] Bearing Drift (Blog) – Saxman to unveil school choice group today [...]

By: Right Democrat

Right Democrat — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 23:46:57 +0000

In my view, school vouchers are a civil rights issue. Vouchers can give poor children a chance at getting a decent education. The Democratic Party should endorse school choice as a matter of basic fairness.

I support the public school system but oppose a “one size fits all” approach to education. There has always been a public-private partnership in educating our children. Giving low-income parents a choice can help to improve the quality of public education while increasing the diversity of private schols.

By: Jeremy Hinton

Jeremy Hinton — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:14:52 +0000

That makes about as much sense as saying that the right should support alternative lifestyles since they support alternative education.

By: Brian Kirwin

Brian Kirwin — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:50:20 +0000

I love the left. They support incentives for alternative fuels but oppose incentives for alternative education.

By: J.R.

J.R. — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:49:00 +0000

I think you were.

By: Jeremy Hinton

Jeremy Hinton — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 03:36:43 +0000

Vouchers suffer from the same flaw as Bush’s proposed “fix” for social security. By pushing an “end run” around the system, they do nothing but defund and exacerbate the problems in the system they were created to help, instead of actually attempting to address them. I do like the fact that vouchers may cause increased experimentation with alternative teaching paradigms (Montessori and such) in public systems. But i think there are better ways to push such reforms that do not threaten our public education system. Public education is one area where i think its better to subsidize production than consumption.

I spent years K-12 in Norfolk’s public school system, and don’t think myself poorly served by the experience.

By: J.R.

J.R. — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:09:57 +0000

Jeremy,
Who’s arguing against that point?

Vouchers and school choice, in fact, has its greatest support amongst those that have been hardest hit by the failures of public schools.

By: Jeremy Hinton

Jeremy Hinton — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:08:43 +0000

I've certainly nothing against open-enrollment options, though its arguable whether they truly have any impact on outcomes. I'm not a fan of vouchers though (shock of shocks) or any system which depletes the resources avaiable for public education. I'm with John Adams on this one:

Laws for the liberal education of youth, especially of the lower class of people, are so extremely wise and useful, that, to a humane and generous mind, no expense for this purpose would be thought extravagant.

By: Cato

Cato — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:04:58 +0000

You had me until you said the SOLs were a foundation. Ths SOLs should be the first thing scrapped. We need local control, choice and a return to classical education…

By: J.R.

J.R. — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:01:25 +0000

Brian,
I’m pretty sure the organization is dedicated to seeking several different legislative routes as it relates to school choice: vouchers, tax credits, administrative process, etc. all are likely to be considered, while, in the end, the ultimate goal being that more flexibility and freedom are given to families to make choices for what’s in the best interest of their student.

By: Brian R Gentry

Brian R Gentry — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:51:48 +0000

I did some research and it looks like it may just be tax credits, which is not bad at all.

By: Brian R Gentry

Brian R Gentry — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:44:04 +0000

I’m curious to know if this is just school choice, where parents get to choose what school their children go to, or does this also advocate vouchers?

I’m all about letting parents choose where to send their kids to school, but I’m hardcore against vouchers b/c if a “private” school accepts them, by definition, they are no longer private.

Do you know if this is also a voucher program?