Formspring Question #427--I'll Vouch for That Edition

Do you support Mitt Romney’s push for expanding availability of publicly funded school vouchers for low income kids? Do you believe that, assuming equal pay and available resources, a private school teacher is in general better than a public?

I attended a Christian school from kindergarten through twelfth grade, so I am biased. I support vouches for every child regardless of income level. The public school system in america is an abomination. Public schools are not out to educate kids. All you have to do is look at test scores to figure that out. Public schools are for training kids to accept authority, conform to a certain social standard, and dutifully accept whatever menial job their poor math and illiterate reading skill can land.

At least with a voucher system, parents can choose a school with a philosophy towards their liking rather than indoctrination by the government. There is something to be said for that, at least. I am happy with my bible based education. It served me well in college and law school.

The question of whether a private school teacher is better than a public one is too broad to have a decent answer. Along with my private elementary and high school education, I graduated from a public university and a private law school. All tolled, I have had about 140 different teachers. Some were dedicated folks who had a genuine gift for molding young minds. Others probably could not have held down a job at McDonald’s . Thanks to smart graduates not wanting to baby sit barbarian children for $22,000/year, those incompetent souls can teach rather than work the milkshake machine.

I would trust a private school teacher to give my child a better education in general even though I havew run into some very bad private school teachers in my day. Chalk it up to my general aversion to allowing the government to run anything, much less educating kids.