tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395150359773904403.post5093129708626409617..comments2019-11-10T17:09:49.648-07:00Comments on Accountability: Why not use real, objective data?Referendum Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01972187764951632626noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395150359773904403.post-52052001259252757722007-09-10T08:56:00.000-06:002007-09-10T08:56:00.000-06:00For other viewpoints on the motives behind voucher...For other viewpoints on the motives behind vouchers, check out <A HREF="http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=11371" REL="nofollow">People For the American Way</A>. There are examples of the disabled and poor being left behind. In fact, here's a quote from their website:<BR/><BR/><I>The Heritage Foundation has expressed hope that “vouchers could limit how much taxpayers must pay to educate the disabled and begin a movement toward cost containment.”</I><BR/><BR/>Before voting in favor of vouchers, taxpayers need to ask questions.Kathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06875378679299157108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395150359773904403.post-26506590479001581152007-09-09T19:15:00.000-06:002007-09-09T19:15:00.000-06:00Wow. I'm glad someone is doing the research you'r...Wow. I'm glad someone is doing the research you're doing. Even one reading of the bill for me raised a lot of questions.<BR/><BR/>I'm trying to help raise awareness in what little way I'm able, so I added a link to here on my blog.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for watching this.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15624261037800893086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395150359773904403.post-68588487576526627032007-09-07T11:17:00.000-06:002007-09-07T11:17:00.000-06:00Just yesterday I was given a 44 page essay by Paul...Just yesterday I was given a 44 page essay by Paul Mero and his Sutherland Institute.<BR/>I haven't taken the time to read the whole essay but I was stopped at the first few paragraphs. They treat the whole of the voucher question as "this or that": "Are we really a 'voucher' people? Or are we a 'one size fits all' people? Is our education identity controlled by special interest groups, such as teachers unions or the business community? Or is our education identity a reflection of our families and culture?"<BR/>I think that I could read all of the essay and find much to agree with. Utahans delight in being peculiar people and are anxious to innovate and tailor their institutions. My problem is with this very first assumption -- that the reason someone opposes vouchers is that they believe that Public Education is the best fit for all children. This is not so. <BR/><BR/>The primary reason that education is a priority to the governing of a nation, is that it is important to prepare the rising generation for citizenship. Secondary to this, although assumed by many to be the first or sole priority, is education as a means to economic development. In either case, the nation is convinced that education is so important that it grants the use of public funds to this purpose. The responsibility of funding public education belongs to government. It has never and should never stand in the way of reasonable alternatives to its public school system. That, however, doesn't mean that government has the responsibility of funding these alternatives.<BR/>If the legislature has funds to improve education, they should put it where their responsibility lies.<BR/><BR/>The other problem I had with Mr. Mero's pamphlet was the way he used recognized religious connections give the appearance of approval. I think that Dallin Oakes would probably be dismayed to see his quote used as a frontispiece.Deonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15539443776509903809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395150359773904403.post-1359563755678481512007-09-06T13:28:00.000-06:002007-09-06T13:28:00.000-06:00Metro Times is an independent paper in Michigan th...<A HREF="http://www.metrotimes.com/default.asp" REL="nofollow">Metro Times</A> is an independent paper in Michigan that reported on DeVos and his vouchers several times. Search them for more articles, but here's a <A HREF="http://www.metrotimes.com/20/21/Features/newGod.htm" REL="nofollow">link</A> to an article that asks a question:<BR/><BR/><I>Why are vouchers so important?<BR/><BR/>There is, of course, an obvious explanation: The DeVos family has a deep, abiding concern for the children of this state, wants to see them educated in the best possible manner, and views the choice and competition offered by vouchers as the way to do that.<BR/><BR/>And then there is a more cynical, though not necessarily mutually exclusive, possibility. [...]<BR/><BR/>In other words, follow the money and what you find is that the DeVos family embodies both aspects of the right wing, promoting strident social conservatism and an unfettered marketplace with almost equal vigor. <BR/><BR/>On the economic front, the appeal of vouchers for fiscal conservatives has been on the map since at least the early 1960s, when economist Milton Friedman wrote Capitalism and Freedom. As noted by University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee professor Alex Molnar, Friedman was the first to posit that vouchers were a "way of getting the government out of public education." In his view, an educational market would be much more efficient at allocating educational resources than a system of government-run schools.<BR/><BR/>With the federal and state governments now ladling out hundreds of billions of tax dollars every year on public education, Friedman’s position is more popular than ever with eager entrepreneurs eyeing a windfall of unprecedented proportions if they can convince the public that vouchers are the way to go.<BR/><BR/>Then add in the fact that privatization will deplete both the ranks and coffers of the teachers unions – stalwart backers of Democratic candidates always – and you have the makings of a right-wing wet dream.</I>Kathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06875378679299157108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395150359773904403.post-39026208719702025842007-09-06T13:06:00.000-06:002007-09-06T13:06:00.000-06:00The Dept of Education released a study last year t...The Dept of Education released a study last year that showed public schools outperformed private ones. I <A HREF="http://stonesoupmusings.blogspot.com/2006/07/public-schools-outperform-private-ones.html" REL="nofollow">posted something</A> about it on my blog if you care to check it out. The link to the NY Times is old and they want you to pay for it now, but you could probably Google the study and find it online. <BR/><BR/>DeVos <A HREF="http://www.michiganliberal.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=7277" REL="nofollow">spearheaded</A> a Michigan ballot proposal to use public school funds for vouchers for private/charter schools in 2000 and it was soundly defeated by 69%. He also spent $35 million of his own funds to run for governor last year. He was defeated by 14%. <BR/><BR/>The man (and the family) has deep pockets and heavily supports many Christian groups, among them Focus on the Family, Family Research Council, and the American Family Association. He and his family are also one of the biggest contributors to the Republican Party. <BR/><BR/>Here's how one Michigan blogger <A HREF="http://www.michiganliberal.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=7130" REL="nofollow">described</A> DeVos' motivation:<BR/><BR/><I>DeVos's multi-million dollar efforts are not primarily a campaign for addressing the economy or for Michigan jobs, they're a crusade for the control of the state and for the imposition of "traditional values"-- which is insider code for a very narrow spectrum of behaviors and moral precepts which DeVos's followers have long sought to impose on the citizens of Michigan via the "Foundation for Traditional Values" (FTV) and its "sister" organization the campaign machine called the "Citizens for Traditional Values" (CTV)."</I><BR/><BR/>Here's <A HREF="http://www.michiganliberal.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=6840" REL="nofollow">another link</A> you can check out. Also, if you use the search bar at Michigan Liberal and type in DeVos or All Children Matter, you can bring up more information and links to articles in other places. <BR/><BR/>DeVos and his family aren't too well-liked in Michigan by moderates and liberals (and also many Republicans), but his deep pockets have bought him a lot of influence. One person tried to run against him in the primary last year but quickly dropped out. DeVos started blitzing our airwaves with political advertising 9 months before the election, and he spent $35 of his own money to run for governor. How could any Republican hope to run against that kind of money on a state level?<BR/><BR/>Check out the links I've given you, and good luck. If I think of anything else, I'll drop by and leave you a comment.<BR/><BR/>http://stonesoupmusing.blogspot.comKathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06875378679299157108noreply@blogger.com