No on Vouchers

* I am fed up with the continued belief that “the power of market forces and competition” can be applied to the complex, social institution of public education (“Voucher Deal Takes Shape With Proposal by Democrats,” Feb. 7). Introducing market competition into the public education system reduces our schools to producers, parents to consumers and our children to product units.

Why is it so difficult to see that a successful public education system needs support, not threats of abandonment? Since it is obvious that forced competition between schools would only widen the disparity of opportunity between children in poor and affluent neighborhoods, I wonder if the unspoken wish is to keep our free market flush with its true fuel: an undereducated and underpaid work force.

BILL SWEENEY

Oxnard