Florida Vouchers-2nd Try

The Florida Senate defeated Gov. Jeb Bush's voucher plan by one vote. Gov. Bush immediately turned around and is going to give it a second try.

Bush says that this is about school choice and not politics. Presently, the United States does not fund private schools like other free nations in the world.

Separation of Church and State

The separation of church and state is used by opponents to justify not funding private and parochial schools. Other countries do not see things the same way and fund private schools except for the short time they teach religion. So, funding is set at 90% of that which public schools receive.

However, it is interesting that when it comes to funding private and religious colleges, the separation of church and state doesn't seem to be a problem.

Presently, only the economically advantaged can afford a quality parochial school education. There really is no choice for those that are low income or even middle class. Ironically, the same senators and congressmen that vote against the vouchers send their children to private schools. This sends a strong message that public schools are good enough for the poor but not good enough for the children of government officials.

Who Opposes Vouchers?

The opposition seems to be coming from Democrats who claim to be champions of the poor. This irony is often pointed out by Republicans who have the image of being pro-business. In this case, the roles are reversed. Republicans want parents to be able to choose which school their children attend. Other nations don't seem to have the issue with this that the U.S. does.

Related article: Charter Schools: Jury's Out

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