Come together

Cooperation could lead to school reform

With a resounding voice the voters of Michigan decried the voucher initiative by dealing Proposal 1 a landslide defeat. While the voucher issue is not dead, it appears that its defeat in the election has placed the issue on the back burner. Many voucher advocates are now trying to pursue education reform that is not contingent upon the passage of vouchers. Lu Battalieri, president of the anti-voucher Michigan Education Association and Dick DeVos, Co-Chairman of the pro-voucher group, Kids First! Yes! have initiated a dialogue on education reform.

This dialogue is noteworthy in that the two political extremes appear to be willing to overlook their differences and work jointly to further the real special interests - the students. While this dialogue might produce little in the way of novel education reforms, it is also possible that some progress might be made. The gesture of goodwill behind this dialogue and the apparent severing of the voucher issue from the greater issue of educational reform are positive actions which promise real, popular improvements in education. Rather than waste time and resources fighting over an issue that the public rejected, it is commendable that both the proponents and opponents of Proposal 1 are willing to discard their past divisions and find common ground to further education reform.

The educational system in Michigan has problems which demand addressing. Until no child is limited by educational opportunities, adjustment and reform of the educational system are necessary. The MEA and other opponents of Proposal 1 showed discretion and diplomacy by inviting their opponents to work concurrently with them. With the overwhelming defeat of Proposal 1 and the ensuing cooperation between the former opponents and proponents, the real winners are the educational system and the students of Michigan.