Barbara B. Baker Founder and President of Challenger School sent a letter home to parents of children who attend Challenger expressing opposition to House Bill 148. She stated that the "Parent Choice in Education Act" (House Bill 148)....will not provide Utah families with genuine free choice for their children's education." She further explained, Challenger School will not accept vouchers or any other government subsidy, because anything the government subsidizes, it eventually controls."
Is attempting to use a voucher at Challenger like trying to use food stamps at Market Street Grill?
This position leads to the question of what private schools will even accept vouchers under this legislation. Parents for Choice are selling a product that few, if any, can use. More reason to sign the petition for referendum.
7 comments:
If few will use it, why are you worried?
By comparing Challenger to Market Street, are you implying that Challenger schools are better than public schools?
This is yet another problem with the idea of vouchers which few people have brought up.
One of the advantages of private schools is that there is much less red tape and regulation than is required of public schools. It makes sense that private schools would be wary of public vouchers which could later end up with strings attached.
I've said before that if Utah needed publicly financed alternatives to its public education system because it was failing in some way I'd support parental choice options...the best of which is tuition tax credits. Our legislature has foolishly chosen to fund vouchers which are the worst available way to fix a problem which doesn't even exist in our state. How dumb.
Anon- You are confusing exclusivity with superiority. Just because something is more expensive or exclusive does not mean that is of superior quality for everybody.
I have attended public schools and private schools. Often, even though the private schools were more exclusive, they did not have the same facilities and resources in certain areas as public schools. You are making a hasty generalization.
You said "If few will use it, why are you worried?" People may be voting for a policy that they think they can use, which they can't. If you go to Waterford or Challenger or are currently in a private school you can't use a voucher in this legislation. It is deceptive. These are reasons for public and private school parents to support the referendum.
I have kids in the public skools They will finish their skooling in the private skol system. I could careless about vouchers they will not benefit my family. I dont mind vouchers either but I must admit this is a compeling arguement that has made the most sense to me. Representative Paul Ray argued this point during his election and few paid attention to it. I guess he was right and I guess now the anti voucher crowd can have their moment of glory as well.
That's one reason I oppose vouchers--I don't want big government coming into the private schools. I prefer private schools being private.
I am a single parent who expected their father to help pay for private school, but it looks like I am on my own with two children. The vouchers would help me to pay for these schools. However, I fear that too much energy, money resources and time will be used to establish systems and staff to monitor these "Vouchers". I support Challenger for wanting the government to stay out of their education system. I would still like the help, but the vouchers are a government nightmare. Wait til someone with enough time on their hands starts to argue about government money being used in private schools that are religious based.;)
My son attended a Challenger School for 14 months and we were contacted and told he was not of the proper target demographic. The Director laid out the racial, gender and height demographics of the student body. I taught multicultural education and selected Challenger because it was diverse in my mind. I was told that the school is 60% Indian, 30% Asian and of the 10% of other, very few are caucasian boys. I was told my son was too tall and that the teachers were not prepared to work with children outside of the target demographic. I was told my son would be a better fit for a catholic school....I live in San Jose CA.....I was appalled. Challenger has a warped view, so I would take what they say with a grain of salt. My son is in a new school and doing just great. Even if you got free vouchers to Challenger, don't do it!! It was the worst mistake I made as a parent.
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