Education Views of Bush, Clinton

I agree with your statement that “no single issue in the campaign touches values more directly than education.” This issue not only involves our ability to compete in the modern world but even, more important, the character of our nation.

Controversy continues over such things as textbooks, bureaucracy, school prayer, racism, values, sex education, length of school day or year, budgets, parental choice, dress codes, discipline, creation science vs. evolution, etc. Each school district must implement policy in compliance with directives from the county, state, federal government and the courts. Many of these policies, even with the best of compromise, cannot help but be contrary to the desires, morals, or religious beliefs of the parents.

It seems to me that the only hope of escaping the quagmire of bureaucracy is to adopt parental choice initiatives, allowing parents to choose private, including religious, schools with scholarships for each child. This would allow parents a choice much closer to their desires and could result in considerable cost reductions. Assuming that 50% of parents would choose private schools, the savings to taxpayers could be $35 billion per year.

Clinton’s position, which restricts assistance to public schools, prevents a solution to many controversial issues by containing help within the existing bureaucracy. On this issue Clinton lacks vision and Bush has vision.

RICHARD A. SCHNEIDER

Helendale