Written by Don Byrd
Today’s NYTimes indicates the campaign of Mitt Romney is urging a change in education policy that would institute a broad federal school voucher program. Citing a speech he gave at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the piece notes that one word Romney did not use in his pro-voucher speech was…voucher.
Here’s a snippet from Romney’s speech, so you can read and judge for yourself.
As president, I will pursue bold policy changes that will restore the promise of our nation’s education system.
First, I will expand parental choice in an unprecedented way. Too many of our kids are trapped in schools that are failing or simply don’t meet their needs. And for too long, we’ve merely talked about the virtues of school choice.
As President, I will give the parents of every low-income and special needs student the chance to choose where their child goes to school.
For the first time in history, federal education funds will be linked to a student, so that parents can send their child to any public or charter school, or to a private school, where permitted. And I will make that choice meaningful by ensuring there are sufficient options to exercise it.To receive the full complement of federal education dollars, states must provide students with ample school choice. In addition, digital learning options must not be prohibited. And charter schools or similar education choices must be scaled up to meet student demand.
Instead of eliminating the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program as President Obama has proposed, I will expand it to offer more students a chance to attend a better school. It will be a model for parental choice programs across the nation.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reports that school voucher programs in ten states have gone disproportionately to aid religious schools. Should that be the job of either state or federal governments, to aid religious instruction?
