Written by Don Byrd
Today the National Coalition for Public Education touted a new survey showing a strong majority of Americans oppose school vouchers.
From the press release
The poll, released today by Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup, shows that 70 percent of respondents say they oppose plans to shift public funding into private and religious schools through voucher plans. This is the highest number in the poll’s 20-year history.“The American people want a well-funded public school system that benefits all, not a patchwork of unaccountable private schools that cater to a few,” said Maggie Garrett, co-chair of NCPE. “The taxpayer-funded school voucher experiment has been tried and failed. It’s time to put the emphasis back on public education.”
The Baptist Joint Committee is a longtime member of the NCPE, which opposes funneling public money to private and religious schools. Check out the BJC’s resource page on government funding for more on their opposition to voucher programs. Here’s a snippet:
By funding pervasively religious institutions, vouchers promote religion and violate the consciences of those taxpayers who disagree with religious teachings of the schools. Vouchers are bad for the schools, too – by receiving government money they become slaves to government regulation rather than independent voices of religious principles and are open to excessive government entanglement with religion.
More and more, the public agrees. Vouchers are bad policy.
