Sorry State of Public School System Is a Case for Private Schools Initiative

The account of opposition to the Parental Choice Initiative presented a strong case for consideration of this alternative to public education as we know it, a failing system which opponents of this measure wish to preserve (“School Board Fights ‘Choice’ Initiative,” Feb. 11).

Fullerton school officials call this initiative the “school choice” measure, and in this error lies the important inadequacies of our public education system.

Standing behind a costly and sluggish administration, public schools have very few choices available to them for reaching students who challenge the constraints of the system. Catastrophic consequences of not meeting students’ needs appear in studies citing high dropout and illiteracy rates, inferior test scores, underachievement (especially among girls in math and the sciences) and campus crime.

To dispel fears of violating the U.S. Constitution, the initiative proposes specific qualifications that schools must meet to be eligible for redemption of scholarships. There are no vouchers or transfers of money from public to private schools, as opponents profess; rather, the state would offer grants of aid, not subject to taxation, to all resident school-age children, through their parents.

This measure would afford more parents the freedom to choose the best school for their child. I strongly urge taxpayers to read the petition for the Parental Choice Initiative and decide for themselves whether it warrants their signature.

KAREN A. SHEPARD, Westminster