'No' on Proposal 1

Ballot initiative would ruin public schools

In the midst of this year's heated race for the presidency, as the candidates scramble to capture the hearts of the undecided voters here in Michigan, it is easy to forget that there are other pressing issues to be decided on election day.

The future of Michigan's public schools could take a drastic turn for the worse if Proposal 1 is passed. Under the proposal, children in poorly performing school districts would be eligible for scholarships of approximately $3,300, the purpose of which would be to "bail them out" of the sub-standard education they were receiving in their public schools and give them the opportunity to attend the private schools of their choice.

Advocates of this proposal contend that removing funds from "problem" public schools will force them to become more competitive for students, to hire better teachers, to improve their curricula.

Unfortunately, such a program would do little to alleviate the ailments of struggling public schools. Rather, it would create a Catch-22 for those most in need of aid. In order to get state dollars, public schools need students. In order to get students, they need good teachers, state of the art technology and rigorous curricula. In order to hire instructors capable of teaching difficult material and purchase adequate technological resources, the schools need (surprise) state dollars.

Another problem with Proposal 1 is that unlike the public school students, there is no way track the progress of children who transfer to private schools as they are not under the same standards and scrutiny as public school students.

Furthermore, the claim that vouchers would benefit disadvantaged children in poor neighborhoods is blindly idealistic. Even if such children were provided with vouchers that paid their tuition at better schools, it would still be nearly impossible for many of them to attend. Many of the best private schools are not located in the inner-cities and many inner-city families do not have the means or time to transport their children back and forth every day. Proposal 1's vouchers would only benefit families who live in the affluent neighborhoods where the best schools are invariably located; those best able to use the state aid would be those least in need of it.

While it is true that Michigan's public education is crumbling in some areas, school vouchers are not the answer. Instead of calling for the abandonment of troubled public schools and the further widening of the gap between the rich and the poor, the state legislature should consider allocating more money to the schools that need it most. Vote NO on Proposal 1.