Friday, December 05, 2003

Not by, of, or for...

A denver judge has ruled that Colorado's school voucher program is unconstitutional. Poor kids cannot use vouchers to escape shoddy public schools to get a better education.

Judge Meyer wrote, "I see no way to interpret the voucher program statute in a way that does not run afoul of the principle of local control."

The voucher program is designed to allow parents with children in failing schools to attend private schools of their choice. In other words, its for districts that have chosen not to excercise the local control they have.

This is just another example of courts thwarting the will of the people. The suggested constitutional conflict is a thinly veiled attempt to rule by judicial fiat. Again.

Oppenents of the voucher plan claim it will undermine public education by siphoning off students and the tax dollars they bring. This is a bald faced lie. It will actually give more money per student to each district. The money put towards the voucher is less than the money paid to the district to educate the student. The district keeps the difference between what it would have received fo the student to attend the public school and what is put toward the voucher. Sounds great for the students remaining at the school.

But the oppenents aren't really interested in educating students. They would rather keep the status quo where parents have no control over the way their children are indoctrinated.