In America the battle for school choice has waged for decades…with advocates on one side calling for greater school choice and others, primarily leftists and teacher’s groups calling for a maintenance of the status quo. Perhaps if America’s schools were the envy of the world, perhaps in US school children excelled academically in comparison with the rest of the industrialized world, then perhaps one could side with the likes of the NEA and other anti-choice advocates, but America’s schools aren’t the envy of the world. Our schools are our shame. Our children are dead last by almost every academic measure, even in comparison with countries that spend far less per pupil than we.

Utah, in an effort to rectify the disgrace that is the US public education system, has endeavored to enact a voucher system….This system will take affect this fall allow students to use funds to send their children to a public or private school of their choice. Critics contend the subsequent loss of funds will harm schools (translation: these public institutions and the employees housed inside are more important than the children they supposedly serve and thus children must remained trapped in poor schools to save jobs).

Utah’s program is not unique and will surely be challenged by teachers and other advocates for stagnation who see nothing wrong with an entire generation of children falling further and further behind. Our children’s future’s are being sacrificed and our tax dollars wasted to placate and powerful lobbying interest. The fate that this Utah program is rather unique is unfathomable. Even in socialist leaning Europe, students have school choice with the money following the student affording parents the choice of sending their kids to a public or private such is also the case in many Asian countries, all of which excel in comparison with US children. Yet here in America choice and thus opportunity remains an elusive dream for most children, at least Utah gives may have a break from the Soviet yoke that is US public education.
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Education/wm1362.cfm