School Vouchers Succeed!

Yesterday's N.Y. Times (article limited to paid subscribers) had an editorial column favoring school vouchers from one of its more conservative writers, John Tierney. The column focused on the success of the voucher program in Milwaukee. The column comes in the wake of other stories reporting that some local Democratic politicians--and even the local newspaper as noted in this column--are breaking ranks with the Democratic governor and the teachers' unions to embrace school vouchers. The issue was brought to a head because the popularity and success of school vouchers in Milwaukee have sparked an increased demand for the vouchers which means that the state legislature has to face the delicate political question of providing more money for more vouchers.

Even more interesting than the political and media realignment being precipitated by the success of vouchers is a study cited in the column showing that the old, tired argument that vouchers will somehow "hurt" public schools is baseless. The results of the Milwaukee study show that in fact the presence of vouchers forces-- as any free market economist, or common sense person for that matter, would have quickly told you--public schools to compete by providing better teachers and more personal attention to students. The column quotes the head of the local school board as admitting that before the competitive pressures of vouchers the public schools simply reshuffled terrible teachers from school to school. In a memorable phrase, the head of the school board called it "the dance of the lemons." Now, because of healthy competition, the public schools are not as tolerant of these bad teachers.

Teachers' unions, dominated by self-seeking, are interested in preserving monopoly power that is unchecked by competition. Truly professional individual teachers, on the other hand, are interested in what works for students. Again, unions are the source of the problem by stifling competition in an outdated guild system that penalizes the students. Here is a revolutionary thought: the primary purpose of a teachers' union should be to fight for the best outcome for each student, not to focus on securing unwithdrawable privileges for themselves. The Gospel says seek first the kingdom of God and all else will be given to you. I say to unionized teachers: seek first the best outcome for each of your students, and you will enthusiastically get all the appreciation and financial security you will ever need from extremely grateful parents, graduating students, and happy taxpayers. Your communities will also attract more investment to provide more job opportunities for your students and your own children or even for yourself if you are one of the "lemons." And I have not even touched on the fact that all of this costs much less money per student than the current public school system. Maybe, the liberals so ostensibly concerned with "social justice" might figure out that the money saved by vouchers can be invested in other ways to improve the community--such as more police to provide the public safety in which urban neighborhoods can thrive and flourish.

I have always thought that the two keys to a vibrant community are, in this order, public safety and good education. Vouchers will give us better education, especially in the dismal inner city public school systems, that will likely also reduce the crime rate. Only greed stands in the way. Since the web article is by subscription only, go to your local public library and get a copy of the March 7, 2006, edition of the N.Y. Times, go to the Op-Ed section and read about the "dance of the lemons" that has ended in Milwaukee because of vouchers. Make a copy, show it to others, and let them know that, when all is said and done, school vouchers are the real affirmative action.