Willingness to Test Vouchers

* I find it quite interesting that educators, especially those in the unions, seem to be unsupportive of school voucher programs. It seems that educators would be more than enthusiastic when it comes to offering options to better a child’s education. Obviously the best interest of the child is not their concern. Their interest is keeping the government money flowing into their pockets and not to the child’s parents. Even Sen. Joseph Lieberman has shown interest in education alternatives for America’s children.

Obviously there are some public schools that have low standards and are not the best option available for children. Some sort of voucher program at the very least opens the door to new opportunities for children who are stuck in substandard public schools. However, Al Gore doesn’t appear to want any government funds to be used for vouchers or new alternatives to public education. And this from the side that claims it is the “new guard.”

SHAWN WALKER

Venice

* The controversy regarding vouchers in the schools can be easily tested. Give the vouchers only to the lowest 25% of students in the so-called failing schools. After all, those are the students the schools are really failing. After they have chosen other schools, if those private ones will even agree to accept the bottom fourth of the class, reevaluate the school they came from and the ones they transferred to. Miraculously, the former schools’ scores will have gone up, and the new schools’ scores will have gone down. That is the only way to truly test the success of private schools. Oh, and make sure it’s the same test at both schools.

ELAINE HEROLD

Rancho Palos Verdes