On Wednesday, February 7, supporters of vouchers will converge on the state capitol to lobby lawmakers to support their cause. The Coalition for Public Schools is having a "virtual rally" in opposition to private school vouchers.

The Coalition needs thousands of public school supporters to participate by making phone calls to the capitol in opposition to vouchers and sending the letter below! Not sure who your legislators are? Check here... 

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

You will be hearing a lot about vouchers today. I wish that I could visit you personally to talk over the issue, but I wanted to stress that I am opposed to vouchers because they would be a destructive drain on our public school funding.

Here are my top 10 reasons why you should oppose vouchers:

1. Texas cannot afford to finance private education as well as public education. There would be only two ways to pay for vouchers--take money from already underfunded public schools or raise taxes. Both are unacceptable.

2. Tax dollars for private education won't fix student achievement problems at public schools. The best way to assist all low-performing students is by strengthening their public schools and addressing individual learning problems directly.

3. A voucher would be a ticket to nowhere for most children. Private schools can choose to accept or reject any student, and many have long waiting lists and only admit select students. "Choice" does not reside with parents, but with private schools admissions committees.

4. Parents have an expanding array of choice for the public school their child attends. Among the many public school options, parents may transfer their child to another public school in the same or a neighboring school district, or enroll their child in a public magnet school, public charter school, school to work program, or an evening high school.

5. Vouchers don't create a "competitive marketplace." Competition is based on an even playing field; there is no fair competition when "competitors" play by different rules. Public schools have to accept all applicants, private schools don't. Private schools are not required to provide transportation, special education, bilingual education, free and reduced price lunches, and many other programs that public schools provide.

6. The State of Texas should not spend tax dollars to pilot test a bad idea. A pilot voucher program would not be a "lifeboat" for some students, as claimed. A voucher system would be the Titanic, draining needed funds from public schools where most of the students would remain.

7. Vouchers would destroy the "private" in private schools. Private schools accepting tax-funded vouchers would become subject to government regulation. Schools likely would have to change admission requirements, implement state-required testing, comply with discipline and expulsion laws, and allow voucher students to be exempted from religious activities.

8. Inserting the word "private" doesn't make a school good. There is no proof that private school vouchers would improve students' academic performance.

9. Vouchers would promote further religious and economic stratification in our society. Tax-funded vouchers for private schools would increase division between rich and poor and among different religions, threatening the future of our American democracy.

10. Public policy should respect parental choice, but provide for all students. The best public policy it to provide parents with even more choices within the public schools, which serve 94.5 percent of Texas children. Legislators should concentrate on making all public schools stronger, safer, more challenging and accountable.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
February 06, 2007