Not as Good as You Think: Why the Middle Class Needs School Choice

[WhiskeyGirl]

Not as Good as You Think: Why the Middle Class Needs School Choice

In response to John McCain’s support for vouchers, Mr. Obama said, “I disagree with him on this, because the data doesn’t show that it solves the problem.” When Mr. Obama referred to “the data” he most likely meant the empirical evidence on whether vouchers raised student achievement. Voucher supporters would disagree with him on his reading of that evidence, but more important Mr. Obama’s argument shows that he is unable to see the issue beyond simple utilitarianism — does it work and is it useful?

How can anyone lump all school choice vouchers failure/success together?   Should public schools be eliminated because they do not work for some?  What does the Annenberg experience suggest?

In contrast, the equity model, according to Professor Viteritti, says “all parents deserve an equal opportunity to select the schools their children attend.” Whether schools of choice perform better on standardized tests or other indicators is irrelevant because the equity model is based on the concept of justice. Although he talked about the benefits of competition in discussing school choice, Mr. McCain’s debate comments show that he mainly subscribes to the equity model. When he said “we have to give the same choice,” to children that “Senator Obama and Mrs. Obama had and Cindy and I had,” he was talking justice not utility.

This summer, I attended a large gathering of liberal/progressive home-schoolers. When I asked parents why they decided to home-school their children, I got many different answers. Some said that they were worried about the violence and bullying in their public schools. Others said that they disliked the standardization of many public schools and the testing and other curriculum requirements that they felt hindered their children’s learning. Unlike Mr. Obama’s narrow measure of choice, these people chose home-schooling for the equity reason that it was their right and it was in the best interests of their individual child.

In the case of school choice, left can meet right. Parents who want their children to hit a perfect score on the SAT and parents who want their children to play an instrument or interact with diverse peers can all co-exist and prosper under the choice tent. With choice, you can decide to be an economic cog or not.

read the rest here -
http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/22/why-we-need-choice/