STUDIO CITY : Voucher Initiative’s Impact to Be Debated

The potential impact of the voucher initiative on the Los Angeles Unified School District will be the subject of a debate Wednesday at the Sportsmen’s Lodge and Event Center at 12833 Ventura Blvd. in Studio City.

Joseph Alibrandi, author of the initiative, will argue in favor of making tax dollars available to parents who choose to send their children to private schools. He maintains that the voucher system would give more choices to parents and would make public schools more accountable and innovative.

Grace Foster, California PTA vice president for education, will argue against the initiative, which is slated to appear on the June, 1994, ballot. Public school officials and teachers unions have argued that the voucher system would destroy public schools and hasten the segregation of students. “This is a pretty hot topic,” said Laurie Golden, a spokeswoman for the Valley Industry and Commerce Assn., which is sponsoring the 11:45 a.m. debate. “Business people and educators want to hear both sides of the issue.”

Admission to the luncheon, which is open to the public, is $25 for VICA members and $30 for non-members. The debate will be followed by a question-and-answer session.