Vouchers for Education

* Re “Vouchers Give Chance at Best Education,” Commentary, April 22: It appears that Armstrong Williams is ill-informed about the effectiveness of voucher programs. They are not the panacea for the deficiencies that exist in public education that their backers would have us believe.

One need only read about the Cleveland study (U.S. News and World Report, March 30, 1998) for a clear picture of how ineffective vouchers really are. The report concludes that voucher recipients in parochial schools haven’t done any better academically than their public-school counterparts.

JOSEPH R. HEALEY

Fullerton

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Williams makes some strong arguments for a voucher system, including the fact that most politicians in Washington send their children to private schools. However, he left out one glaring problem with our current public education system: In contrast to private schools, public schools must admit and retain all students regardless of how disruptive or unwilling to learn they are. How refreshing it might be if the public schools could be rid of such “students” so that those who wish to learn (which is the student’s responsibility) could do so! Private schools are under no obligation to accept students who are disruptive.

I believe in public education and do not want my tax money spent on private or parochial schools. Unless changes are made in the public schools to remove those who are disruptive and don’t want to learn, however, I may have to change my mind and support a reasonable voucher system.

JAMES A. BAUR

Green Valley Lake