Students Deserve Vouchers

To the Editor:

This is in response to the Sept. 15 Letter to the Editor “End School Voucher Program.”

Mr. Pate’s comment “But some of our elected officials and private special interests are trying to funnel public dollars into private schools by pushing voucher programs that divide families against each other and worsen the quality of schools where most kids learn and grow” is most disturbing. Dividing families certainly never affected my school days and worsen the quality of schools is definitely questionable.

My sister and I and numerous others are products of a “private” school. Our parents worked extra hard to both pay their taxes and provide additional funds for that education. It was never their intent to “keep us out of the public schools just to destroy the public education system.” Their sole purpose was to provide us with the best possible education and if another school was available, that was their decision. All schools are accredited by the Texas Education Agency. To claim that attending a private learning institution would “worsen the quality of schools where most kids learn and grow” is totally untrue. Since all schools are experiencing a shortage of teachers, I would assume less students per teacher would be an educational benefit both for students and teachers.

The quality of education for all young people should be our main concern. All schools have programs for special needs. All schools are important to our local community. All schools employ qualified educators. All schools require additional employees to maintain the operation of the school facilities. The workforce should not be affected. I do not believe “our students and educators will have their funding pulled from under them.”

Unless you have “been there, done that,” calling a much needed benefit for our young people an “extremist idea” is very disturbing. I continue to pay school taxes even though I no longer have school aged children. If I had a vote as to how my school taxes should be used, I would not hesitate to designate a private school, if that’s the best choice for the student. Parents should have a say in how their hard earned tax dollars are delegated. If there is an alternative for the betterment of the individual, Nothing should stand in the way of us providing every child in Texas a quality education in their neighborhood.