Do School Vouchers Improve the Quality of Education
Follow the link to the article listed above. Read the article and post your thoughts on this issue. Are you for or against school vouchers? Why? Include at least two points from one of the sources listed at the bottom of the article. Be sure to list which source you used. Do not copy the points used by any of your classmates.
Check this website for more resources both pro and con.
http://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_vouchers.htm
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI am against school vouchers because inforcing school vouchers would force public schools to accept everyone regardless of disabilities, test scores, religion, or other characteristics; private schools can show favoritism or discrimination in selecting students. This would stop discrimination and increase the education within the community. Also, it would reduce the enrollment response to changes in public-school quality by placing different households on the margin of deciding between public and private educations. Furthermore, school vouchers ignore the fact that American schools are based on the concept of publicly funded services. (Sources 3 and 4 from "NO" section).
ReplyDelete- Arij Moiz period 2nd
I am against school vouchers because of the points that; "most of the schools in the program are religious, government funding violates the 1st Amendment separation of church and state" and "Vouchers take funds away from already under-funded public schools." Many wars were fought centuries ago in order to separate church and state. Yet with these vouchers, church and state are slowly binding. If the government is funding private schools ,which is a religious institution, they could possibly begin to fun even more creating a religiously dominated society leading to major discrimination. Private schools already have other funding from things such as tuition so without vouchers they can still survive. Vouchers are taking away funds from underfunded public school that need the money a lot more. All public schools do not have the ability to survive. When funds are taken away from public schools, their necessities like teachers, books and computers can not be bought or updated. Although vouchers can help private schools it is unconstitutional and unfair to underfunded public schools.
ReplyDelete(Source 1 & 2 http://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_vouchers.htm)
Meyer Wilson
Period 2
I support this voucher as it is helpful to students in that "More private schools would provide opportunities for specialization; for example, schools could provide extra expertise in math, science, sports training, liberal arts, college preparation, and so on," giving any student a multitude of options that would definitely benefit specialization and the education process for students who do not enjoy the conventional system of grouped structured classes that are required to be taken in a certain order. The necessity for some to be successful in certain careers and their speed of comprehension would prove the benefit of starting earlier and allowing students to pursue specialized classes at a younger age. The other reasoning would be that "providing private school access to everyone will increase diversity," also diversifying the thought process of children, increasing the incentive to join private schools. There are other reasons to explain and justify the payment options, but overall it is more of an opportunity than a potential burden.
ReplyDelete(Source 5&6 of "Yes")
I agree with using vouchers in order to go to private schools. By doing this, religious beliefs can not be interfered by the government because parents are allowed to chose the institution that their child goes to, therefore, disabling any traces of religious tensions stressing the family of the student. Also, if a parent were to pay for their child to go to a private school, they would still have to pay taxes for public schools. Therefore, they are paying for two different schools, and one does not even have their child in it. This causes so much money to be taken out of less fortunate families, therefore, vouchers help the less fortunate at a better future. (Sources 4 & 8 from the "Yes" portion)
ReplyDelete6th period
DeleteVouchers will better our society by increasing competition between schools thus, leading to greater efficiency and results in all schools. Healthy "Competition will force public schools to squeeze out every bit of efficiency and start emphasizing the teaching of values such as hard work, discipline, and respect for others." Also, "Private schools have a better history of getting results in teaching information and values than public schools." If more kids are able to go to private schools, not only would they be pushed to work harder, they would also have better chances to strive in the community morally too.
ReplyDelete(Sources 2 & 3 from the "Yes" portion)
Tracy Colbert
2nd period
I am against school vouchers because private schools should not be allowed to exist in the first place.
ReplyDeleteThe first and foremost reason has to do with religion but not with the idea that school vouchers violate the tenet of the "separation of the church and state;" rather, the very existence of private schools intertwines religion and education in a hurtful way. Because many private schools are religious private schools, private students are educated from a religious standpoint, which will undoubtedly throw out important details (Source: Susanne Wiborg, related to #1 of "NO"). For example, a private Catholic school would probably not teach about the atrocious acts that the Catholic Church committed during the Inquisition because it would make them look bad. Private schools undoubtedly will put a tint on the learning lenses of students, which will hurt them in the long run.
Additionally, all claims that private schools perform better than public schools are simply unsubstantiated because virtually everything is different. For instance, the Townhall column states that 42% of parents rate their childrens' private schools with an "A" but only 10% of parents rate their childrens' public schools with an "A" (Townhall column by R. Hagelin, related to #3 of "YES"). This should be entirely expected - if you could pick what school your child went to, of course you'd rate that school better: YOU PICKED IT! There are many other misinterpreted facts and figures in favor of private schools being better than public schools, but the two simply aren't comparable because of the fact that they have almost nothing in common.
Sources: S. Wilborg, related to #1 of "NO" ||| R. Hagelin, related to #3 of "YES"
Jason Bailey, Period 6
Sarah Rassam
ReplyDelete6th Period
I am opposed to school vouchers due to how they function to separate and put the rich kids in different classes than the poor kids from a young age. The decision to attend a private school is all up to an individual and should not be decided by the government. If parents desire to send their children to private schools, it should be up to them rather than for the government to pay for them to attend private school. Private schools are meant to be their own support system and are not subject to government regulations rather than the government using the funds meant for public schools to the benefit of private schools. Instead of the government being a source of aid to the public system of education, school vouchers would shift those funds that schools are supposed to get from the government to further improve the public school system to private schools. Furthermore, the voucher system mainly benefits parents whom have funds already, while not benefiting less wealthy individuals.
(Source 2 & 5 "NO" http://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_vouchers.htm)
Source 2: "Vouchers take funds away from already under-funded public schools."
Source 5: "The quality of education at the private schools may be brought down by new students that aren't as gifted."
I am for vouchers because poor parents should have the same choice as do rich parents.Also im for it because more money is put back for the private sector rather than the department of education therefore I am for vouchers.
ReplyDeleteSource:("Yes" 1&7)
6th Period
ReplyDeleteI don't think government vouchers should pay for private schools. Every student already has the opportunity to attend private school for free, but some attend private schools for varying reasons. I don't believe that choosing a school for religious reasons is a valid reason for private schools to receive government funding. Though many private schools are religious, many of the students who attend the schools are not of the same religion. For example, I have a few Jewish friends who attend Catholic privates schools. Also private schools are not judged the same way as private schools, there is no way to know that private schools are actually better than public schools when they are not subjected to the same standardized testing. The government shouldn't be paying for children to attend schools that may not even be as good as public schools.
Sources: 1 from yes and 3 from no
6th Period
ReplyDeleteI am for school vouchers. It enables the poor people to access private schools and lets their children have a better opportunity. A kid who goes to private school is far more intelligent than his companions that go to public schools because of the better environment Sure they are mostly religious, but the parents choose thew school which does not affect their rights. The schools have a right in what they want to do because it is private and they can do what ever they feel like is necessary.
Sources YES: 3,8, "The Lessons of School Choice"
May Liew
ReplyDeletePeriod 2
I agree with the use of school vouchers because even though many argue that it threatens the civic values and integration that we wish public schools to promote, this already occurs when families choose where they want to live. Many public schools are largely influenced by segregated housing patterns. School choice therefore, increases racial integration, as it allows low-income families who are typically of a minority race to have access to private schools who are known to consist of more wealthy kids.
Also, private schools are known to be a conscious of tolerance and social involvement than public school individuals, so school vouchers open up avenues for the less-fortunate who might have come from bad environments to learn important traits that will allow them to break free from a negative cycle that they might have grown up in.
Source: Jay Greene, "A Survey of Results from Voucher Experiments: Where We Are and What We Know"
http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/cr_11.htm
Devin Laird
ReplyDeletePeriod 2
I agree with the use of school vouchers because for the parents who send their children to private school and have to pay for it still have to pay taxes which pays for the public schools. School vouchers also help the diversity of private schools and can help parents who want to send their child to a religious school but can not afford to pay the tuition to go there. School vouchers will increase the amount of values taught at private schools that public schools do not care for. School vouchers will help increase the amount of students who learn different values than other students. Private schools also make it easier for students to stand out from other public school students when applying for colleges or for a job. I think having school vouchers for private schools will increase the amount of students that attend there and can help each student be all they can be in their acedimics.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_voucher
https://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/why-school-vouchers-can-help-inner-city-children-5615.html
I am for school vouchers due to the different circumstances that different people are faced with. Economic status is different as you go from person to person and a person's economic status shouldn't cause them to not get the same educational privilege as another child. The vouchers should be given to the children who have the skills or the mindset to succeed in private school. The use of a voucher is something I support but there should be limitations on who gets these vouchers. The kids that actually benefit from the schools should continue to be given the vouchers so the children who have less economical assets can also continue to learn. This way, the kids who are given the vouchers do not mess up the educational standards of the private school. While the use of a voucher is something I support, there needs to be qualifications to receive the government help. Also with the vouchers, the schools will have a more variety of students which will overall better the school due to the diversity. (Source 1 from "YES", source 5 from "NO", and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_voucher)
ReplyDeleteI am in favor of the vouchers because everyone has a right to obtain their best educational potential. Of course, i am aware that not everyone has the ability to enroll into private schools. Vouchers can be seen as an opportunity to open up the option of private schools to not as fortunate families. People can decline the offer if the school is against their religious belief. Religion in educational environment is a civil right so if it's going to make a person feel a type of way then they can just decline the offer. However, "[p]roviding private school access to everyone will increase diversity", and if possible the religious environment may be diluted to ensure the safety of other students( Source 1 ). Therefore the reason as to why "that government cannot forcibly introduce religion into studies or subsidize its teaching"( Source 1 ). Better education for all can increase the rate of innovation provided by citizens. Better education for all aids diversity and it's flaws. For instance, "Coleman and others also found that private schools, while educating a lower proportion of minority students, more evenly distributed minority students, producing better racial integration than that found in public schools"(Source 2).
ReplyDeleteSource 1:
http://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_vouchers.htm
Source 2:
https://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/survey-results-voucher-experiments-where-we-are-and-what-we-know-5792.html
As a student who previously went to a private school, I know that the tuition can lean towards the high side. Of course parents want the best for their children and sacrifice a lot do get them private school education. The smaller classes and quality of education one receives from private school are what most parents desire. What is disappointing to me is the fact that private school parents "in effect playing twice." They are paying their taxes which public school, but the voucher would assist them in these payments for private school. I understand that they should pay their taxes, but private school is another expense these parents are taking on their shoulders to provide their children with better education. It is pretty controversial that some private schools are strictly religious, which "violates the first amendment." In this issue I would have to say that allowing vouchers to go to religious schools is wrong. A solution to this would be to simply remove the religious programs enacted by the schools.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_vouchers.htm
YES:8
NO:1
Period 4
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do not support religion being implemented in schools, I do think that issuing school vouchers would help the overall education in the US. It has been proven that throughout the years public education has "become increasingly centralized" and this has led to an overall decline in the quality of education for children. With the introduction of vouchers I believe that the competition from private schools would push public schools to increase their education standards. I also think that by giving lower income families an option of choosing a private education, which most higher income families already have, it would level the playing field for all kids.
http://www.cato.org/pubs/briefs/bp-023.html
http://olam.ed.asu.edu/epaa/v4n9.html
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletePeriod:2
ReplyDeleteI do think that issuing school vouchers would help the overall education in the USA. The private schools will have really good teachers in order to make sure that the students understand what they are learning and also to make sure there rank don't fall. This way kids will have a good education, but for this to happen the government will need to give vouchers so that poor families can also be able to get really good education in a private school. Private schools have a better history of getting results in teaching information and values than public school. In short, private school students are well prepared to face the world and their future.
http://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_vouchers.htm
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJoseph Peters,2nd
ReplyDeleteI don't support the distribution of school vouchers,primarily because while its true private schools do have a higher production rate of high caliber students.Not all private schools produce great students mainly because without a set schooling criteria or the standard to follow discretion is left to the schools, while some schools look at education as a way to better the future a majority look at it as a business and will do whatever it takes to make a profit; after all the primary goal of a business is to make a profit.Next federal charters would mean less funding for public schools and the test that have been done to compare private vs public schools,all of them were samples."Non-probability sampling is a sampling technique where the samples are gathered in a process that does not give all the individuals in the population equal chances of being selected."If all individuals are not covered then the outcome is bias wether done purposefully or accidentally.
Sources)http://www.prospect.org/print/V12/1/carnoy-m.html
I personally disagree with the distribution of school vouchers by our government. The vast majority of private schools are run by religious groups. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 76 percent of private schools have a religious affiliation. Over 80 percent of students attending private schools are enrolled in religious institutions. Most of these religious schools seek to indoctrinate as well as educate. They integrate religion throughout their curriculum and often require all students to receive religious instruction and attend religious services. Thus, there is no way to prevent publicly funded vouchers from paying for these institutions’ religious activities and education.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, Vouchers do not decrease education costs. Instead, tax money that would ordinarily go to public schools now pays for vouchers, thus harming public schools. A 1999 study of Cleveland’s program showed that the public schools from which students left for private voucher schools were spread throughout the district. The loss of a few students at a school does not reduce fixed costs such as teacher salaries, textbooks and supplies and utilities and maintenance costs. Public schools run the risk of losing state funding to pay for vouchers without being able to cut their overall operating costs. In addition, voucher programs cost the state money to administer. In Milwaukee, which has been disproportionately burdened in a statewide voucher funding scheme, the city has had to raise property taxes several times since the voucher program began in order to ensure adequate funding for the city’s schools.
Sources: 1 & 2 "NO" http://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_vouchers.htm
https://www.au.org/church-state/february-2011-church-state/featured/10-reasons-why-private-school-vouchers-should-be
Brayan Reyes
ReplyDeletePeriod 2
I believe school vouchers could actually benefit our society. I think they shouldn't be handed out all willy nilly; the money has to come from somewhere, and it probably won't be cheap on the grand scale. However, according to the former Mayor of Baltimore, there are many inner city children who are zoned to mediocre or subpar schools, but their parents have no choice but to send them there and hope for the best due to economic circumstance. If the rich kids continue to attain the better education, they will continue to take all the better jobs, and all the lower income families will be stuck in an endless cycle of barely making it by. All schools should be held responsible for educating their children to the best of their ability, and government vouchers could certainly serve as an incentive to keep schools at the standards and beyond. Chile has implemented the school voucher system, and they report that both public and private schools perform at an even level with each other. Those who want to go to private school may choose to do so for religious purposes, but school vouchers should also be considered for people who yearn for a higher education and wouldn't be able to afford it otherwise.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_voucher
https://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/why-school-vouchers-can-help-inner-city-children-5615.html
https://www.manhattan-institute.org/pdf/cb_20.pdf
Chandler Jacobs pd 2
ReplyDeleteI am for school vouchers that they improve education bc i believe that they increase competition amongst schools, fostering great educational skills. Also bc private schools have a history of providing a better education for students so why not make that opportunity available to everyone.
Sources 2 and 3
Hannah Abie period 2
ReplyDeleteI am completely for school vouchers simply because of the facts that it gives everyone a chance for success. Kids are not responsible for the economic situations that they are in, whether good or bad. Private schools have the credibility for producing successful pupils and i feel like gifted kids who would never have the money to attend these schools, should have a chance go.
Sources 3&5
i am against school vouchers because itll take money away from public schools that are already underfunded as is. not to mention allowing government funds to be used for a child to attend a private religious school is fundamentally violating the first amendment which was put in place to prevent some kind of state sponsored religious education.
ReplyDeletesources 1 and 2
Neethu Thampy
ReplyDeletePeriod: 6
I support school vouchers because I believe everyone should be able to choose what type of school they want to go to. However, situations like a crime-ridden public school nearby may force parents to send their kids to a private school even though they might be financially struggling (Source 1). So having these vouchers would help these parents with their children's education. Also, parents pay taxes which help educate public school kids. Parents are completely free to choose whichever school they want to send their kids so it is in no way violating the first amendment (source 1). Most are likely to choose private schools over public schools because of better overall education results. So no kids should be left out of higher education solely because of the cost.The choice of school should be a matter of teaching children achieve their goals rather than the cost of it.
Source:
1) https://www.manhattan-institute.org/pdf/cb_20.pdf
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletePrasun Dhawan | Period 2
ReplyDeleteI am a firm supporter of vouchers. Both public schools and private schools have their pros and cons: public schools provide a well rounded education with an emphasis on academic development AND extracurricular involvement while private schools do a great deal to ensure students are college bound and college ready (unfortunately, not many private schools have the resources to devote to student extracurricular involvement).
Thus, vouchers provide the middle and lower class families with a choice as to which educational pathway they want to follow. Additionally, vouchers would increase competition (both academic and extracurricular) between private and public schools, increasing the quality of education and carrying the nation further and higher in international educational rankings.
Sources:
http://www.swcollege.com/bef/policy_debates/vouchers.html
http://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_vouchers.htm
***Source Revision:
Delete3)javascript:remoteStart('http://dpls.dacc.wisc.edu/choice/choice_index.html')
Joel George
ReplyDeletePeriod: 2nd
My opinion regarding the question "Do School Vouchers Improve the Quality of Education?", is a slightly biased because I attended a private school when I was younger. We were paying for it at a reduced price due to government support and in school vouchers. So I completely support school vouchers because they help mid class families pay for higher class education, in turn teaching more people about discipline.
Secondly, private school can also be a place for children to get motivated. With their classmates all being the best of the best, the constant pressure will keep all the kids striving to be better. So if mid-class kids get access to this kind of education then we can set a new standard in education, one that public education would have to keep up with.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_voucher
http://townhall.com/columnists/rebeccahagelin/2006/02/21/the_lessons_of_school_choice
https://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/why-school-vouchers-can-help-inner-city-children-5615.html
Priyanka Ranchod period 6
ReplyDeleteI personally think that school vouchers are good. These vouchers help not only private but public schools and I see that as a significant plus. Education is the foundation of an individual's life and by providing these, schools are able to better the resources and things needed to aid in providing a good education. In addition these school vouchers are able to provide children whose financial situations aren't the best a good education. For these students, attending good institutions may be difficult with their parents income and financial situations but by using these vouchers, these students are able to gain an opportunity for greatness.
Source 1,3
Kylee Brouwer
ReplyDelete2nd period
As a daughter of a private school teacher, I support school vouchers for private schools, even those religiously affiliated. Private schools can provide more safety, individual attention, and discipline. Private schools can also act as an escape from (a) underperforming public schools that children may be forced into because of district zoning and (b) certain bullies. Parents should not be forced to pay taxes for public schools and private school tuition if their children depend on a private setting to better equip them with skills for their future. Also, offering these vouchers creates better competition between schools and encourages to become better education institutions. America's economy thrives through competition.
http://www.moneytalksnews.com/school-showdown-public-private/
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/05/opinion/the-benefits-of-school-vouchers.html?_r=0
Jacob Gassmann
ReplyDeletePeriod 6
I am against school vouchers as a way to "improve school education". Although it is seen as the more expensive choice would be the better choice, it doesn't seem like a fair trade off if the school will have less oversight from the government and is more prone to favoritism than a public school. It may seem like a good idea if you are part of the majority in your area or if it's generally diverse, but it would not completely rid the factor of discrimination in a school environment. With less government oversight, there would not be much that ensures that the school being attended is well regulated. Just because the school costs more, does not necessarily that they have a higher standard and they won't have any prejudice to a family who didn't exactly pay their way in like the rest.
http://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_vouchers.htm Points 3 & 4 under "No"
I am a supporter of the vouchers because it provides and increase of opportunities for students in private and public education systems at an equal advantage. The opportunities can be both extracurricular, labs, and educational. This will increase the quality of the education because lesser income students will be given the same opportunities as richer school districts and increase competition around the country. This will also help more students with the mindset of going to college be more successful.
ReplyDeleteSources 1,3,4
Janelle Rodriguez
ReplyDelete2nd Period
I do not think school vouchers should be given. Source one suggests that rich parents have the opportunity to give their children a better education and that these vouchers should be given to the poor parents. Most rich parents are able to provide private tutoring for their children and the best study material. poor parents do not have that luxury. This would give the wealthy kids an unfair advantage and make the kids who have less feel discouraged and not learn to their full potential because they cannot afford the best study materials. Also the students on the voucher would have low self esteem and not be focused on their education. Furthermore, in source three, private schools are able to show favoritism unlike public schools, where they are obligated to give every student and equal education. What could potentially happen in the private schools is that the school could separate the students who are on the voucher from the ones who paid in full. This could cause a huge problem for the school in having to deal with protests vouchers are not necessary.
Source 1,3
http://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_vouchers.htm
I support school vouchers for private schools because voucher programs provides freedom of choice and encourage competition which encourages all schools to improve the quality of education offered to students. I believe that voucher programs will also increase the amount of students in the private schools. Right now students who go to private schools are solely based on weather the family is financially stable, but every students should have the opportunity to get their education at a private school based on their desires and academic performance. Vouchers for students will allows more students to attend private schools and will ultimately allow for diversity.
ReplyDeleteSource:http://www.swcollege.com/bef/policy_debates
Jane Hua
ReplyDeletePeriod 6
I personally believe government vouchers should be given to pay for private schools, even if they are religious. Parents of low income families should be given the same opportunities to educate their children as those who are more fortunate. According to the Bradley Foundation and School Choice Wisconsin, a study showed that the graduation rate for students in the Milwaukee school choice program was 18% higher than those who were enrolled in its public school system. Providing greater access to private schools would not only increase diversity among students, but also increase the results of teaching information and values. For example, in James Coleman’s study, he consistently observed that students place in private schools performed better academically compared to those who were put in public schools. He also revealed that privatizing education more evenly dispersed students of minority populations, creating better racial integration.
http://www.bradleyfdn.org
https://www.manhattan-institute.org
I am for government vouchers as it increases diversity in private schools. In these private schools their are very few minorities. This is because they can't afford to attend private schools. Offering vouchers limits the review of income in deciding whether or not a student can go to a private school or not. Also there are many private schools that are not religious and do not promote and religion in teaching or the curriculum. The parent always has the choice in deciding whether or not they want their child to attend a religious private school.
ReplyDeleteSources 6&7 from http://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_vouchers.htm
Truth Thomas
ReplyDeletePeriod 4
I am against school vouchers for private schools. The government has to get the money to pay for these vouchers somewhere, so the government would have to pull funding from public schools which already need as much money as they can get. Another reason that I am against school vouchers is that private schools do not have as much oversight as public schools do, so the only true motivation that private schools have is making sure that parents do not move their children to another school because that would result in a loss of money, which causes the system to focus more on money than education.
Source 2 and 3 under "No" from Balanced Politics
I am for the Voucher system because it allows more kids around the US to have the option of receiving a better education. It gives parents the freedom to chose and since the Voucher would exist in their lives and help the family. Down the road because of this, that child will be receiving academic scholarships if he or she applied themselves to school in order to qualify for it. That is the only downside to this program the child might have the option of a better education, but it only works if the child applies themselves to school and nothing that distracts them from it. As a result this would decrease the choice of the government to allow vouchers because then it is considered wasted money if the child does not even try in the first place.
ReplyDeleteSource:http://www.schoolchoices.org/roo/sted1.htm
Erica Wong
ReplyDeletePeriod 2
I do not believe in government vouchers for private schools, for this is going to separate the kids that want to try in school and those that don't. This might seem counterintuitive, but that isn't a good direction for education- then in public schools, there will be nothing but troublemakers with no desire to be there. That would be hell on earth for the teachers unfortunate enough to be stuck teaching there, thus, we will eventually run into a shortage of teachers. Unless you pay them significantly more, which the current system cannot afford to do. On an ethical level, I don't believe that a quality education should have to be paid for. Education should be the same, and those that want to excel through advanced classes have the option of doing so. Private schools should be for those that either have bullying issues, parents with too much money to spend on their kids, or perhaps those who want their kids to grow up catholic and join the clergy.
Although, as Ullik Rouk put it, "many call for accountability in state achievement standards, voucher programs' differing goals, outcome measures, and various pedagogical concerns ensure wide variation in the programs' design and oversight" would benefit private schools under the voucher program, I ask one question- where would they get the money to offer such a wide variety of accommodations? If the voucher is covered by the government, wouldn't that be taking the low funds out of the education department and putting them into private schools instead? Or would they just have to raise the price of how much comes out from the parents' pockets? Its just a lose-lose situation in my opinion.
Another good question is presented by Vanderbilt University: " Are conservatives or liberals most likely to favor choice?"
The answer is most likely yes, and an overwhelming majority of people who are republican are conservative, and therefore republican. Many private schools are associated with Christianity, and thus, this could lead to issues in the school, and republicans will flock to private schools while liberals would stay in public schools.
http://www.ed.gov/
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Education/BG1377.cfm
Edwin Cabrera
ReplyDelete6th Period
I am against school vouchers because parents who have the money too send their kids to a private school are doing it for a reason. They want their child to excel in a school that allows them to do so. Public schools are filled with people who may not take school as serious as others. If a child is privileged enough to attend a private school then let their parents do that for them.Additionally, providing vouchers will take money away from the funds of public schools. This will just make bad schools worse causing all parents to want their child to go to a private school which is not possible.
Source 2 and 5 under "no" from Balanced politics
Christopher Yee
ReplyDelete6th period
I am against school vouchers because it would nearly defeat the purpose of a "private" school. Parents pay extra to send their kids to schools that are specialized in certain areas. The value of both private and public schools would become lower due to less funding of public schools and the degrading of private education becoming more public. Parents that can afford to send their kids to private schools tend to have a better education which allows the parents to confidently enroll their kids into private school programs whereas school vouchers may allow poorer families to enroll their children into private schools but then there would be a difference between the students. Also, some public schools that are in poorer areas are less funded. The voucher system would only make them worse because the money would go to vouchers instead of improving the public school systems that need the money.
Source 2 and 5 under "no" from Balancgov/?id=ED475896ed Politics
http://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_vouchers.htm **
DeleteZoe Leibowitz
ReplyDeletePeriod 2
Although I think that people can get just as good of an education in public schools as you can PAY for in private schools, I do think that vouchers would help people that cannot afford private school attend the school of their choice. However, I think that people shouldn't have to go to private schools and waste thousands and thousands of dollars just to get a decent education. A lot of this money should instead be put towards funding underprivileged high schools. Then, lower income students could be in a better environment with better education without having to pay the equivalent of college tuition just for their private high school years.
Source 1 from Yes
Source 2 from No
Overall, I am not in favor of the vouchers.
DeleteI am for school vouchers because the pros most definitely outweigh the cons. They bridge the gap in performance between public and private schools. When school choice is made an option, overall performance as well as satisfaction of the system will be improved. "school choice for two reasons:excellence and accountability"
ReplyDeletehttps://www.manhattan-institute.org/pdf/cb_20.pdf
2) studies have shown that choice helps students. at any cost the ultimate goal should be to prepare the student to the best of their ability. "University of Wisconsin that shows how choice in education equals improved education."
http://m.townhall.com/columnists/rebeccahagelin/2006/02/21/the_lessons_of_school_choice
Overall I see and understand the need for the existence and implications of these vouchers
I am against vouchers because the government is supposed help the public system of education. Much of the states in the U.S are already facing troubles in having enough money to provide up to date information. Paying for vouchers takes away from public school funds, making it even harder for underfunded school to pay for "the ever increasing cost of books, teachers, computers, and security". Additionally, private schools were founded on the basis that they were private and meant to support themselves, not with the money of the government. Since the government provides money for public schools, they are restricted and overseen by laws set by the government. However, private schools are not subject to the Governments regulations and have their own freedom. "Only the marketplace can govern their actions" which leaves the education of many students in the hands of parents.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_vouchers.htm
Aubriana McDermott
ReplyDeletePeriod:6
I am for school vouchers. School vouchers would allow students who couldn't afford the costs of private school attend. Many students would like to attend a school that specializes in courses they'd appeal to later in life, like college. Considering many European countries already allow this, I believe it would aid in students working capability later in life. It would also start a race war in the educational field where public schools aren't putting students to learn, but remember for a short period of time. If more parents had the money to put kids through private school, they would and with school vouchers I believe public schools would have a rude awakening with the number of successful students that move to a private school.
(Source: "Yes #2,3, &5)
I am against the use of vouchers for private schools because of it violates the separation of church and state and it decreases much needed government funding for already poor public schools. Those who attend private school usually come from a lot of money therefore their tuition should cover their expenses and should not be a problem for them. Some students who attend public school live in poor areas and cannot afford the amenities that private school kids usually can. They need the government funding to ensure they get a quality education and create a better future for themselves. I also feel that the use of government funds to support religious schools does in fact violate the separation of church and state. If the government were to start funding religious schools, that would only be a gateway to funding other religious endeavors. This could lead to religious prejudice amongst different groups of people because of who the government chooses to fund. So I am in fact against the use of vouchers. (SOURCES: NO. 1,2)
ReplyDeleteDrew Garza
ReplyDeletePeriod 2
Although I believe that in some cases, school vouchers would not be a bad thing, I am against the idea in general, and there are various reasons as to why I am against it. First of all, although it may help some families enroll their kid in a more prestigious school, or have more options as far as what kind of education they want them to have, doing so would sort of take away from the whole point of a private school in the first place. Sure, some students may deserve a chance to have that opportunity, but that may also not be true for many others. Also, there is nothing wrong with public school, and in fact, public school students can go just as far as private school ones. Next, providing vouchers is technically a violation of the first amendment protecting the separation of church and state since many private schools are religious institutions. These are a few reasons why I am more against than in support of vouchers.
sources 1 and 5
Doris Chien
ReplyDelete2nd Period
I do not agree with the use of vouchers for private schools. There is a reason why they are called "private" schools. They shouldn't be dependent on the government because the whole point for being private is so they aren't being diluted by the government. When you hear or talk about the word "private" or "public" school, you are referring whether the school is connected to the government or not. Giving money to private schools completely defeats the purpose. Parents who can afford sending their children to private schools are paying enough money for their child to have a good education. There are plenty other schools that are in much more severe situations than private schools that are receiving more than enough money. All in all, the voucher system needs to provide only public schools money because there is a reason why private schools are called private and public schools are called pubic. (Sources 1 & 2)
Tolu Ojo
ReplyDeletePeriod 6
I am not in support of vouchers for private schools because, as the article stated, the quality of education in the private schools will be brought down and the fact that private schools select their students. Private schools are essentially like pre-college facilities. Most of them specialize in a certain are and help kids to get ahead in their studies. Private schools are like the difference between Private universities and community colleges. Private universities, like private schools, obviously cost more than community colleges, like public schools, and as a result, it is up to people to choose whether they want to attend either college. Not everyone can afford to go to private universities or private colleges, so it is a matter of circumstances and financial means. So because the institutes are private, they are able to select who they want to be admitted into their school, like college. If anyone could enter private schools, the schools would no longer be private since they would be open to everyone. Additionally, the point of private schools is so that those who are very talented and have the resources are able to have specialized education over those in public schools. If everyone was able to attend private schools, the quality of schooling would be brought down dramatically. First, you would have to significantly increase the number of staff at the private schools. As a result, the quality of staff would decrease because the status quo would change from quality to quantity. Second, over time, the private schools would just become public schools because so many kids would go there who aren't necessarily fit for that school. In the end, vouchers should not be given out because the government has to way no way to pay for the private institutions, and they would most likely have to increase taxes. Also, it is slightly unfair that people who attend public school still have to pay taxes for education, but the same argument could be made for children who are home-schooled. Their children don't attend public schools, yet they still have to pay taxes as if their kids did. (Sources 2 & 5)
Joel Sibi
ReplyDeletePeriod:6
I am personally against school vouchers in that the concept is flawed in and of itself. People expecting to be given vouchers to go to a supposedly better school only truly open up a new set of problems. These prized private schools over the course of time being accessible to anyone will simply turn into what the people were trying to get away from to begin with, that is a public school. The idea of school vouchers to run from the public education system is simply not one which will work in the long run. Additionally the widespread distribution of vouchers are only making public schools worse off and making an already ill-suited system even more dysfunctional.
(Source:"No"#2&5)
Rushil Mistry
ReplyDeletePeriod: 6th
I am for school vouchers. School vouchers would allow the other students to get a better education. It also gives equal advantages to the students who attain private school and public schools. It is also better because people who are poor have the same chance of getting a better education just as others. It also motivates students to go to college and get further education.
Source: http://www.swcollege.com/bef/policy_debates
http://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_vouchers.html
Alexus Guevarra
ReplyDeletePeriod 2
I am for vouching for private school due to the many opportunities it holds for all students non dependent on family income or any other circumstances they may struggle with. Many bright individuals get lost in the school system due to poor education. If these unprivileged children were able to attend a private school with specializing programs to their needs and future occupation, our future generation would be raised to the highest of excellence. Amendments are broken when children aren't able to face fair learning due to their parents statuses. In addition, with private schools receiving excellent results in their previous students as they proceed to be surgeons and engineers at a higher rate, it is only fair that rich and poor families can be sent to the best schools with options.
Sources:
https://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/why-school-vouchers-can-help-inner-city-children-5615.html
http://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_vouchers.htm#no (N.O1&5)
Humdaan Balagamwala
ReplyDeletePeriod 4
I agree with the use of vouchers for private schools. I believe that private schools are better equipped with teachers and resources in order to help their students go farther in life. These schools cost money while other schools don't for a reason, which gives them a certain advantage. While some kids might not be able to access those advantages because their family is not wealthy, should hinder a child's potential in life. If private schools do allow their kids to go farther in life, all kids should be given that chance. I do believe that these vouchers should be given in small quantities, so the quality of the private schools is preserved. However I do believe that vouchers to private schools should be given to underprivileged kids so they can access a better education. (sources 2 and 3)
Taylor Mott
ReplyDeletePeriod 6
I support government vouchers being given to pay for private school. Equal opportunity should be granted to everyone which means that each student should receive an equal education. However, many students suffer because they do not receive equal education because they can't afford to go to a private school or they can't afford to live in areas that are zoned to better schools and therefore are unable to meet their full potential. Government vouchers would allow children to receive a better education and in the long run better contribute to society.
Considering that a large sum of private schools are religious, government vouchers for these schools may seem to be going against the first amendment. However, since the voucher allows the students to attend the school of their choosing the government is not directly supporting any religious institutes.
Source:
https://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/why-school-vouchers-can-help-inner-city-children-5615.html
Sarah Johnson
ReplyDelete2nd Period
I support school vouchers because they provide a pathway for students to get more specialized education. My article states that the centralization of education under public schools do not cater to the specific attention a student may need to learn because not every student is the same. Private schools are more adapted to providing specialized education to students who do not learn in traditional ways.Of couse it can be argued that private schools only serve as small percentage of the population and are therefore provide an unfair advantage to students with the opportunity to attend. However, "the privatization of schooling would produce a new, highly active and profitable private industry" bringing more schools into the market. More private schools could serve a larger population allowing children, with the help of vouchers, to attend whatever area private school that is best suited to their needs.
Source:
http://www.cato.org/pubs/briefs/bp-023.html
Saniza Sunesara Period- 6
ReplyDeleteI am not in support of government giving vouchers to students. According to studies voucher programs, the targeted population does not perform better in reading and math than students in public schools. Studies show that the students using vouchers to attend private schools do not believe that their voucher school is better or safer than the public school they left. And there was no statistically significant difference between students who were offered a voucher and those who were not in their aspirations for future schooling, engagement in extracurricular activities, frequency of doing homework, attendance at school, reading for enjoyment or tardiness rates. There is a difference between public and private school and if vouchers are given out then there will be no difference between them.
https://www.au.org/church-state/february-2011-church-state/featured/10-reasons-why-private-school-vouchers-should-be
Heather Bennett: Period 6
ReplyDeleteI am against private school vouchers. The money that would go towards providing these vouchers for a select number of students could go towards funding for the already neglected public schools. The group of students that are wanted at these private institutions are from inner city areas and they more than likely rely on transportation provided by the school district. Private schools do not offer transportation so the parents of the student from inner city areas would have to go out of their way to get their children to school, which costs them time and money that they may not have. Also, private school are not regulated by the state. The statistics show that private school students outperform public school children but if these private students are not required to learn and master the same skills are public students, how can you measure that? I believe that the same money and energy that is going towards the push for private schools should be put into reforming our failing public school system.
http://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_vouchers.htm
Per 6
ReplyDeleteI am against government vouchers for private schools. Private schools aren't necessarily better than public schools in terms of academic successes of the students. What lots of articles and different viewpoints argue is that the religious and lifestyles that the parents hope their children to pursue. However, education is not entirely done by schools but also the parents themselves. For academic performances, we should trust the government's oversight on the public schools. Furthermore, if we wish to pursue equal rights for all families and students, we should put money into the public schools and improve the education system and environment. Instead of funding students to attend private schools which will eventually leads to overcrowded private institutions and overall poorer education.
sources: No section 2 and 3
DeleteJoshua Biju
ReplyDelete6th Period
I agree with the use of vouchers to be used for funding in private schools because it puts eveyone in the same playing field. Everyone is given an equal opportunity to get into private school and get that funding. Competition increases between schools and maximimizes the efficiency of education throughout schools if government vouchers are given to private schools to. Although a lot of private schools have religious affiliations, the attending students do not have to associate with that religion. The parents of the students are the ones that make the choice between what religion. The government really is not imposing any religion to anyone and it's the students parents that have the freedom to choose religion. Overall I feel as if there are way more benefits associated with vouchers being provided to private schools then negatives. The benefits far outweigh the negatives and lead to a greater efficiency in students education. (Sources YES 2 & 8).
I do not support the use of vouchers for private schools. I think the use of vouchers is somewhat counter-intuitive and only provides a short-term fix for a larger problem. I 100% support allowing students of all different financial backgrounds access to good school across the nation but I do not think vouchers are the solution to this problem. Instead of giving tons of money in vouchers to students so they can attend private school why not just invest that money in the same under-performing public schools these students are trying to escape. If the government uses all the money it would use in school vouchers for public school improvement (plus a fair amount extra because lets face it fixing the school system nation wide wont be cheap) it might actually gain money in the long run. I mean after years and years of not needing to provide money for vouchers plus the increase in students receiving a quality education and being put on the road for future success, our economy may just go through the roof. (source 1&2)
ReplyDeleteI personally believe that voucher a good thing that enables the kid to get ahead regardless of the kids social status. A system like this improves the market economy giving it more competition for the kids. Some of the bright kids that should receive a better and more profound education are being hold back by a slow public school agenda. source 1,2 period 2
ReplyDeletePeriod 4
ReplyDeleteI am in favor of school vouchers. In support of Milton Friedman's argument that school quality had declined as it has become increasingly centralized i believe school voucher offer a reasonable path toward affective, specialized, market-like systems. Friedman also points out that political revolutions have caused economic systems to replace centrally planned resource systems with market systems, a transition the education system has yet to undergo. A market system has been proven through time and proven by our economy to be an effective system All the benefit that accompany a market such as efficiency and competition could be pushed into education systems through vouchers, ultimately improving the quality of education for students.
Source:
http://www.cato.org/pubs/briefs/bp-023.html
Raymond Johnson
ReplyDeletePeriod 4
I support government school vouchers being given to pay for for private schools. When two companies compete they often go for the lowest price with the most efficient use to beat out the stiff competition. This from of capitalism brought many inventions to reality, so in theory if we treat schools in that regard we can hire better teacher who produce students on a brighter level and higher intellect. It's all trickle down Reaganomics. (2)
Money Also is better spent when it is not going back to the government. An example is the current mail system to show how effective private funding is over public funding. The US postal service has been criticized for being slow and unreliable especially when compared to UPS or FedEx which will drop off your item in a week or less. We can apply that same logic to schools and it instantly explains the education difference between private schools and public schools.
Yes: 2 & 7
I am against school vouchers. Public schools are already struggling with the funding that they receive and the ever more increasing cost of keeping up with technology and learning materials. If vouchers are created to be given to individuals deciding to go to a private school then funding will have an even bigger issue. Furthermore, the private schools that are receiving funding may be able to discriminate, and who knows how well they will succeed. Since public schools have strict regulations that are often unliked but necessary, they succeed in teaching the curriculum effictively. Private schools, however, do not have this government intervention, so who knows how well they will do and the progress that they will be able to make. Additionally, private schools may discriminate for certain individuals to be able to go to their school unlike public schools who accept everyone.
ReplyDeleteNo : 2 & 3
Aqil Ali
Period 2