Education

WomenMatter will continuously post updates on all this and other issues as we monitor the continuing philosophical and practical debates nationwide. Please check back often for updates. Past updates are available for reference on the Education Archives page.

Voucher Validation: House Approves Controversial Education Bill

Within the first week of returning from August break, the House approved a controversial education bill. On September 5, 2003 they voted 205-203 in favor of school vouchers for Washington D.C. students. The close vote once again underscores the political philosophies that oppose each other in this country.

School vouchers provide public money for private schooling. If this bill were to pass in the Senate and be signed into law by President Bush (a supporter of school vouchers), then some low-income D.C. students will receive up to $7,500 for a year of tuition at the private school of their parents’ choice.

This legislation is likely to have an impact on school-voucher campaigns across the country. If school vouchers are approved for the nation’s capitol, then other cities and states are likely to follow.

Congress rules D.C.

In addition to being the federal law-making body, Congress governs Washington D.C. They review the city’s budget and have the power to create laws. They can also veto any legislation passed by the D.C. city council.

Since many Republicans (including the Bush administration) are in favor of school vouchers, the Republican-led House may be experimenting with vouchers in the city of D.C., before moving on to the rest of the country.

The debate

Washington D.C. has a non-voting delegate in Congress. She advises Congresswomen and men on issues concerning the District of Columbia. Eleanor Holmes Norton, who is currently serving her seventh term as the D.C. rep, is against school vouchers. She says that the issue is so serious that using D.C. as the subject of a national experiment is wrong.

Along with others who oppose school vouchers, Norton says that public funds should go to public schools. If money is drained from the public school system, it will worsen, creating more need for education spending and reform. Opponents of school vouchers say that tax dollars should go to training public school teachers, renovating school facilities, buying textbooks, and meeting the various needs of the schools that are open to all.

Proponents of school vouchers claim that the vouchers give low-income children a fair start. They provide choices for poorer families. In general, school choice is a luxury; private and parochial schools are only available to those who can afford them. School vouchers provide tuition money to low-income families who don’t want their child or children in public schools.

Church and state, separate?

Some opponents argue that school vouchers violate the separation of church and state. If families use their vouchers to pay for parochial school tuition, the state is funding a religious organization.

However, the Supreme Court ruled that school voucher programs do not establish religion. In June 2002, the 5-4 ruling determined that a Cleveland school voucher pilot program was constitutional. Although most students in this program opted to go to Catholic schools, their families had a wide range of choices of both secular and parochial schools. Therefore, the majority of justices decided that the program itself does not favor a single religion.

Opponents maintain that voucher programs provide sought-after funds to private curricula that the state cannot monitor. Private schools may teach lessons that would offend the majority of taxpayers. Or they may avoid subjects that the majority feels are important. In school voucher programs, public money may fund controversial lessons which the public cannot protest.

Does it have to be either/or?

Generally, vouchers are contentious because they re-distribute public money to private organizations. This creates debate because public funding to education is scarce. If Congress allotted additional funds to support vouchers, then public school supporters would not be as likely to dispute vouchers.

Further reading

The assault on public schools is coming from more than one place. If Congress cuts AmeriCorps, then public schools will suffer even more. AmeriCorps helps support public schools that are struggling. For more about AmeriCorps, click here.

Like school vouchers, yearly standardized testing is a recent method for improving public schools. For a discussion of standardized education, click here.

The national discussion about religion and public education has a deep history. To learn more about the history of education in America, click here.

You can also discuss education with other WomenMatter readers by joining one of our online forums. We also link you to your representatives, so you can let them know what you think.

Posted on: 9/17/2003

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