CBS "News" strikes AGAIN

I am really tired of hearing this response to vouchers and choice.

First of all, any objection based on the fact that the public schools will
be worse off has no value whatsoever. The goal is a better education for
our children, not maintaining a public school system at the expense of their
education. If the public school system is or is not a part of the best
solution does not matter to anyone except those who fear they may not be
able to compete in a free market.

Also, those who have swallowed your logic are guilty of single step
thinking. You point out a plausible outcome based on a market reaction, and
then pretend that the result will either continue to trend in that
direction, or reach a static state. Markets involving people don't work
that way.

Let's say that all the "best students" leave the public schools and go to
private schools. So what? What students are left, and what is the result?

All of these issues can easily be addressed if you drop the requirement to
save programs and interest groups, and concentrate on setting up a system
that will best serve the students and society. Maybe you just don't believe
in free markets? If you do, then tell us what you think needs to be
addressed to get your support for a voucher system. Just remember - only
the kids count!

I am not saying that vouchers are a golden BB. I am saying that free market
systems out perform master planned systems almost everytime they are tried.
Its a pretty solid argument.

In case you want them, here are some specific responses to your points -


I am interested in how you think it will increase pay and improve the
schools.

Free markets reward talent and attract capital. The better teachers will
gravitate towards the better jobs, which will be able to afford higher pay
because they are more popular with the parents and are more economically
efficient.


First of all, who will take advantage of the voucher program?

Everyone, if its really a choice. In a real voucher program - everyone
gets a voucher that they take to the school of their choice.

They will
have to pay more than the voucher will cover, so it will be the parent
with
more disposable income, and cares what kind of education they are getting.
It is this child that will do well in school, because the correlation
between parent's involvement, and student achievement, is very high.

First, as more private groups start schools, price competition will bring
tuition down. Yes, some schools will charge more, and wealthier kids will
have advantages, as they do now. However, you seem to think that poorer
parents are less involved because they are poorer? huh? Thats like saying
the wealthier pilots who buy bigger faster planes are better pilots - which
is crap. The more involved parents WILL be better consumers, and their
children will have advantages as well. What is wrong with this? They have
advantages now.

What
will be left in the public schools? More problem cases with less
achievement. How is that improving the school, or increasing pay.


This is not the part that increases pay, and once again you are worried
about the school, not the kids in it.

Assuming your prediction is accurate (if you can predict the stock market as
well, please send us your tips), we have a more homogenous group of kids
with similar problems that we can focus on in schools that will become more
capable of helping them. In fact, some schools could become known for their
ability to help these children and be sought out for that value by parents.
As for achievement, why do we care where the achievement is? What we want
is more achievement in general, whether their is more or less in any
particular type of school is not the goal. If the public schools become
known for low achievement, they will lose their students and disappear. So
what? If the students are all being educated elsewhere there is no
consequence to the students. I doubt this will be the result because their
ARE good, popular, public schools.

It is also interesting to note that private school pay is lower than
public
school pay.

An indictment of the public school system if there ever was one. However,
even if I cede your point and agree that teachers will be making less money
(which I do not believe will be the result), then so what? Once again, its
the students that count. I believe I can explain this phenomenon if you
insist.

Free markets work!