Howard Fuller's comments on vouchers

Following up on my email from last week about Obama and McCain's comments on education in their final debate (http://tilsononobama.blogspot.com/2008/10/debate-on-education.html), here's a powerful statement from Howard Fuller:

As you know, I support Barack Obama.  I appreciate his support for charter schools.  But, I can not stand silent as he sends his kids to private schools, but yet questions the value of vouchers because there is "no proof that they work".

I don't know what he means when he questions whether or not they work. The vouchers "work" if they give parents the option to choose a school that they think is better for their child.  If the school is not a good one, or a particular school does not work, then they should have the option to find another one, just like he and Michelle will do if the current school they have chosen does not work for their children.  Most poor and working class parents can not do this without government support. 

 

I respect Barack and I hope he is our next President, but I think he needs to ask himself if he wants to be the President of an America where only people with money will have the capacity to make choices for their children's education.