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Jewish World Review Sept. 27, 2005 / 23 Elul, 5765 A lesson in politicizing education By Kathryn Lopez
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
The desire to help the people of the Katrina-ravaged Gulf Coast has
been abundant, as private citizens, businesses and Congress sent
much-needed money, supplies, shelter and services. It's important to
remember that Katrina victims need more than cash, and Americans and
governments at all levels have reached out to help.
Of course, no thanks to Ted "don't teach a child to fish" Kennedy.
Heaven forbid a kid gets a school voucher to attend a private
school; even a kid who can't go back to the private school his
parents sacrificed to send him to; even a kid who can't go back to a
public school because the building was leveled by Katrina's fury.
As part of a larger education package, in mid-September the White
House proposed $488 million for private-school tuition. If a family
preferred to send their child to a private school instead of a
public school, the government would subsidize the alternative.
"Parents may choose to send children to private schools. They may
not. But this is their choice," explained Susan Aspey, an Education
Department spokeswoman. Moreover, in cases where private schools —
as some in Texas did, for instance — took in Katrina victims, the
schools will be reimbursed. This seems simply fair.
Oh, but, the horror of it all! Children going to private schools
with public money. Massachusetts Democrat Edward M. Kennedy (aka
Ted), ranking Democrat on the Senate's Health, Education, Labor and
Pensions Committee, blasted the White House proposal. "Instead of
reopening ideological battles, we should be focused on reopening
schools and getting people the help that they need."
But the vouchers bill is an emergency measure that makes sense.
Looking ahead, it's an investment worth making — and a debate on
school choice long overdue.
Overall, some studies have shown higher achievement in those
attending school under a voucher program, and surveys have found
parents at least feel their children are getting a better education.
There's no good reason New Orleans shouldn't be the next experiment.
In New Orleans, before Katrina, about 61,000 children were enrolled
in private schools. It was about one-quarter of the 248,000 students
attending school in the broader area.
Laughably though, Kennedy has insisted that "we need to focus on
rebuilding the public school systems which are the cornerstone of
the Gulf Coast communities and economies." Any cornerstone would be
missing a fundamental element there without a nod to families that
were embracing education there, public or private.
And private schools are to be encouraged in a reconstructed New
Orleans. Not only because they were the choice of so many families
pre-Katrina, but because a little competition to the public schools
there would be a beautiful thing, and force a mess of a public
school system into reform. A reconstituted public system there with
the same people, with the same philosophy would be a recipe for
future disaster.
Before Katrina hit, 73 of New Orleans' more than 120 schools were
"failing," according to state standards. In one 2004 survey, 96
percent of high-school-age students were below average in English
and 94 percent were in math.
It's not just in the classroom that's a wreck. In a state-mandate
audit of the school system's payroll records (pre-Katrina), one of
the investigators announced: "I'm a CPA doing this 20 years. This is
the absolute worst I've ever seen. Anyone can bend any rule around
here."
If an investment is going to be made in rebuilding, that's not the
system that should be rebuilt — do it right this time. And, again,
maybe a little competition is the ticket to ride to educational
success.
Faced with the realities on the ground in New Orleans, both pre- and
post-Katrina, school choice now — and, if it works, later — may
just be the silver lining in the storm.
Ted Kennedy, not unlike his approach to the John Roberts Supreme
Court hearings, is the one playing politics with Katrina, in his
vehement opposition to giving kids a chance at choice. But this is
an issue that, while must be debated, should transcend politics.
Sen. Kennedy, like his peers in both parties, enjoys using catchy
sound bites to get his message across. Here are two for you, sir:
Support school vouchers.
Do it for the children, Ted.
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