As we’ve noted in previous blog posts this week, Americans United has launched a new campaign to increase awareness about the threat private school voucher plans pose to public education.
You can check out our new site and watch a great video featuring some teenagers who make the case that public funding belongs in public schools. You can also sign a petition to make it clear that you oppose vouchers.
Please share the video with your friends and families and urge them to take action as well. Here are five fast facts you can use to explain why they should oppose private school vouchers:
Vouchers violate your religious freedom: The separation of church and state means that you get to support only the religious groups of your choice – or none at all if that’s your preference. Vouchers violate your right of conscience by taking your tax dollars and giving them to private religious schools that may teach doctrines you don’t agree with.
Vouchers don’t work: Vouchers have been pitched as a way to boost the academic performance of students who are falling behind. They don’t do that. Several studies have shown that children attending voucher schools do no better than their public school counterparts. In some cases, they even do worse.
Vouchers force you to support schools that discriminate: Most private schools are religious, and many of these institutions discriminate. They may deny admission to or expel students for being LGBTQ, for being the “wrong” religion or for failing a capricious “moral” standard. Faculty and staff at these schools are subjected to discriminatory policies. We’ve worked hard to eradicate discrimination in American society. Vouchers force you to subsidize it, and that’s wrong.
Vouchers require you to support schools that teach controversial doctrines: Many private religious schools teach things that are problematic. Fundamentalist academies may teach that LGBTQ people are “evil” or that women should not have equal rights. These schools may teach creationism in lieu of sound science or offer false “Christian nation” views of American history. Fundamentalists have the right to believe these things and teach them in their schools, but you should not be expected to pay for the propagation of such views.
Vouchers don’t help poor students: Despite what voucher boosters claim, these schemes don’t help low-income kids. Most voucher programs are capped at a few thousand dollars, and many private schools charge much higher figures for tuition. They may also tack on additional fees for things like uniforms, books, transportation, etc. This means private schools are still out of reach for many low-income families. If we really want to help these families, we should ensure that they have access to a well-funded public school.
There are plenty of other reasons to oppose vouchers. Learn the facts and join our campaign to protect public education and religious freedom!
