Although voucher programs don't receive quite as much attention in the early 21st century as they did in the late 20th century, the Christian Right hasn't given up on their desire to use private, religious school vouchers to undermine secular public education. Their libertarian allies also haven't give upon on the idea that government funding for private schools would create competition with public schools, leading to improved education for everyone all around.
1. Private Schools Offer Superior Education
According to some studies, math and reading proficiency at private schools is higher than at public schools. Many publicly-run schools are in a state of ruin, failing miserably to properly educate the leaders of tomorrow. Many believe that private, religious schools are the only hope for parents who want their children to receive a decent education.2. Vouchers Help Parents Afford An Otherwise Too-Expensive Education
Presently, it is mostly children from wealthy families who can afford the benefits of a private education. Publicly funded vouchers would eliminate this unjust disparity and allow for children in low-income homes to get an equally good education, too. Private, religious schools want to admit more lower-income and minority students, but they just can't do so unless their are adequately reimbursed for the costly education they provide.3. Choice Saves Tax-Payer Dollars
Private, religious schools can cost a great deal less on a per-capita basis than a public school education. Under a voucher system, the private institutions would be able to achieve superior educational benefits for a lower cost. Billions would be saved annually as ever more children transfer from public to private schools because private industry consistently provides higher-quality products at a lower cost than what the government can achieve.4. Overcrowding In Public Schools Would Lessen
Public school enrollment all over the country, especially in states like California, is increasing dramatically and will only get worse, straining an already desperate situation. Private and parochial schools have room for additional students and, if allowed, could help ease the crisis. This means that even students who remain in public schools will benefit from others taking advantage of vouchers for private, religious schools.5. Competition Will Force Improvement In Public Schools
Under a free-market system, the brightest students will go to the best schools, which are presently private schools. In order to stop such an exodus, public schools will have to do a better job at competing with what private schools offer, and that means dramatically improving what they offer. Outmoded teaching methods and bloated bureaucracies will have give way, as they inevitably must do in free markets because unrestricted competition in the free market makes everything work better.6. Vouchers Ensure The Survival Of Private Schools
Enrollment in private schools declines as the discretionary income of lower- and middle-income families declines. Their inability to send their children to private schools threatens the future of private schools, especially parochial schools in the cities. Vouchers from public funds would allow these institutions to survive and it's important for the government to spend money to prevent these school from failing in the free market.7. Vouchers Will Relieve Parents Of Double-Taxation
Every parent who sends their children to a private school is essentially paying a double-tax. The first is for the public schools which they do not use, the second is for the private schools which they do use. It is inherently unfair for families to have to pay twice for a service, especially when they do not use the publicly offered service — and it's not as though they benefit at all from others getting a public school education. Vouchers would rectify this situation by returning money to parents for use at private institutions.8. Private Schools Will Improve The Morals Of The Nation's Youth
Public schools are morally degenerate, failing to provide our nation's youth with proper guidance. This can be directly tied to the elimination of school prayer and Bible reading in the 1960's by atheists and secular humanists. Even more important was the desegregation of public schools a few years earlier, a decision which led to the creation of many private Christian schools. Vouchers will allow poorer families to send their children to religious schools where children will be able to enjoy real religious freedom: daily prayers, Bible reading and no immoral or anti-religious education.9. Voucher Programs Which Do Not Include Religious Schools Are Unconstitutional
If a voucher program is created, it has to allow for parents to choose to send their children to private religious schools as well as private non-religious schools. Otherwise, the government will be discriminating against religious institutions and religious parents, a clear violation of the Constitution. Religion must be treated equally alongside secular institutions, which includes using public funds to finance religious education alongside financing secular education.
