School Choice and Vouchers

Re Bernard Hosie’s “Parents Know Best for Children,” Commentary, Oct. 11:

Right now there is no rigorous way to ensure that all high school graduates in California possess competency in basic skills. That’s why, as described in Hosie’s article, there are strong feelings to implement voucher approaches to school choice. Having worked with teachers in programs sponsored by the National Science Foundation and other agencies for more than a decade, I can say that many of the best-trained educators are in the public school system. But the system is really flawed.

If California implemented carefully constructed (to prevent gender and ethnic bias, etc.) statewide exams before graduation from high school, a solution to the gigantic problem of student preparation would be at hand. Some will say the exams discriminate. Some will say they are unfair. Some will say they don’t properly measure basic skills. Some will say they are too rigorous. If implemented, we’ll see a period of turmoil. Parents will be angry when their youngsters don’t graduate on time. But we owe it to the children of California to assure them that they indeed possess the basic skills needed for success.

Once the period of turmoil dies down, constructive efforts can be made to distribute resources and expertise to schools needing it the most.

STEVEN B. OPPENHEIMER

Northridge

* Has Hosie forgotten that we have a separation of church and state in our country, and that government-supported vouchers for Catholic schools are a violation of this separation? Our public schools need to be supported by the public. If parents wish to send their children to private schools, then they need to pay the tuition, not the taxpayer.

SHELLY R. PIMPER

Whittier