How Do Vouchers Defund Public Schools? Four Warnings and One Big Takeaway

[Nevilledog]

https://www.shankerinstitute.org/blog/vouchers-defund-public-schools

Over the past two years, school voucher systems and other related schemes that divert taxpayer revenue toward private K-12 tuition have passed state legislatures at unprecedented rates. Although these recent bills became law only, for the most part, in red states, their supporters include a handful of Democrats in other parts of the country as well. And all of this comes despite a decade of evidence that vouchers have led to some of the steepest declines in student achievement on record.

Regardless of which side of an otherwise ideological or political divide voucher advocates hail from, a common talking point for both is that voucher-like systems leave public school funding unaffected.

Such claims rely on a variety of funding strategies that include drawing resources to pay for vouchers from states’ general fund commitments outside of their school aid budgets, and the use of tax credits to make expenditures rather than direct appropriation.

On a less politically charged question of public policy, it would be uncontroversial to note that an advocacy strategy based on the slogan “fund students, not systems!” literally demands states move money away from public and into private coffers.

*snip*

[poozwah]

1. funding schools

public funding of any school system other than public school systems should not be permitted. PERIOD.

[303squadron]

2. And the other threat created by vouchers

Here in Florida vouchers are being used to fund religious based private schools. My taxpayer's money being used to support myth and bad science.

It's an effing disgrace and a clear violation of the separation of church and state.....which is exactly what they want!