School voucher proposal argued

By Emily Mullen, Staff Writer
10/29/00 — Three Rivers Community News

THREE RIVERS - Area residents recently heard both sides of a controversial ballot issue that will face Michigan voters come November.

The Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce hosted an early bird breakfast Oct. 13 where representatives from the Kids First! Yes! and All Kids First! organizations gave their views on the Proposal 1 voucher initiative.

Breaking the proposal down to three main issues that will affect the state's education system the greatest÷ teacher testing, "school of choice" and funding÷ the speakers presented conflicting sides to the proposal.

Patrick Anderson, representative from Kids First! Yes!, which is the main supporter of vouchers, said the opposing side of Proposal 1 claims vouchers will take money away from public schools.

He said he refutes that idea because out of the $14 billion that rests in the state treasury, the voucher program will cost the state $80 million, something he says is well worth the tax dollars.

"I refute that premise," Anderson said. "We have $14 billion for the public schools that will go undisturbed, and next year we may even have $15 billion."

He said the state government shouldn't look at the cost of vouchers, but instead realize what the most important issue at hand is.

"It's not a financial question we need to be asking ourselves, but a question of priorities," Anderson said. "Isn't it important enough that no child be left behind?"

Though money would be taken from the state treasury and invested into private schools, less than half of 1 percent of tax payers' money would be used for voucher spending.

Anderson said it's imperative to act now in reforming the education system instead of waiting to develop alternative programs such as teacher training or trying to obtain more federal dollars for grants or scholarships.

Citing a situation in the Detroit Public Schools where it took two years to appoint a superintendent, Anderson said no other plan will immediately improve the situation of schools today.

"I think there are other things that can and should be done in the public schools to improve them, but we cannot afford to wait any longer for those while there are poor parents stuck in school systems that have abjectly failed," he said.

"I can't look myself in the eye and say to parents in school systems like Detroit that they have to wait another five or 10 years for reform programs."

Glenn Oxender, former state senator and representative from All Kids First!, the main opponent of Proposal 1, said Anderson was sugar coating the issue and that those supporting vouchers are giving the public a dose of "bad medicine."

With nearly $6,000 spent on vouchers for each child that decides to leave a "failing" school system, he said the state's budget will see a significant dent in available tax dollars.

"In terms of money, it would cut the budget very quickly," Oxender said. "Another thing is the segregation of students. If you're going to take out a racial mix or an intellectual mix from the public schools, that's a danger, too.

"You may be taking out a segment of society from the public schools, which takes your diversity out of the schools, and I think that's the stronghold of our society that everyone deserves the right to have."

With the voucher system allowing money to go to private schools, Oxender said there is no accountability for where the money goes or how it's spent since religious and private schools are not bound by the state.

Once a child receives a voucher, there's no certainty he or she will be able to go to their school of choice. The proposal requires no change in administrative policies and may not cover the full cost of tuition.

Oxender said this is particularly dangerous for special education students since it may cost up to $25,000 just to educate one child.

Anderson said as long as schools can be flexible and serve their "customers" with discipline, students will be able to choose a new school and not wait for their current school system to improve.

As the last hot-button topic discussed at the presentation, Anderson said public schools need to have more accountability through teacher testing every year.

Oxender said teachers are required to be tested before employment, and that the failure of various school systems is caused by teachers' inability to handle students, not their lack of knowledge in the subjects their teaching.

He suggested smaller classrooms and more help for the teachers to improve the environment in which students learn.

For more information on the Proposal 1 voucher initiative, log on to the Kids First! Yes! or All Kids First! Web sites at www.kidsfirstyes.org, or www.allkidsfirst.org.

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