School Vouchers Inflict More Harm Than Good

[Donnachaidh]

http://www.aclu.org/blog/religion-belief/school-vouchers-inflict-more-harm-good

One of the great American ideals is that everyone has an equal chance to succeed in life. A cornerstone of this ideal is our public education system. American public schools are meant to ensure that every child — regardless of race, religion, or background — has access to a good education. At their best, our public schools establish a common foundation upon which an informed democratic citizenry can be built.

It's no secret, though, that our public schools are in trouble and not always living up to these ideals. In communities across the country, a growing and influential group of private school advocates has been pushing school vouchers as a cure-all for the deficiencies of our public education system. But when you consider that vouchers undermine the separation of church and state, have done little to improve student performance, and divert desperately needed funding from public schools, they begin to look a lot less like an antidote and more like snake oil.

The controversy surrounding government funding of religious education is not new. James Madison, the primary architect of the First Amendment, opposed efforts in Virginia in 1785 to compel citizens to support "Teachers of the Christian Religion." Madison believed that taxing the public to support private religious instruction was an unjustifiable and coercive interference with liberty of conscience. He wrote: "Who does not see . . . hat the same authority which can force a citizen to contribute three pence only of his property for the support of any one establishment, may force him to conform to any other establishment in all cases whatsoever?"

Thomas Jefferson likewise insisted that "compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical." Jefferson also believed that public financing of religion would ultimately corrupt and weaken it and that a wall of separation between church and state was essential to protecting the integrity of every faith tradition.

More at the link --