Subscribe to Receive the Daily Report

Saturday, June 2nd, 2012

Louisiana’s Bold Bid to Privatize Schools

Author:     STEPHANIE SIMON
Source:     Reuters
Publication Date:     June 1 | Fri Jun 1, 2012 6:04pm EDT
Link: Louisiana’s Bold Bid to Privatize Schools
Stephan:   There are certain Theocratic Rightist states that are so benighted they constitute virtually other countries when compared to Northwest or Northeastern U.S. Year after year, decade after decade the policies of the Rightists grind down the mass of citizens in these states. This is not a partisan comment, it can be seen in the social outcomes. (See Social Values, Social Wellness http://www.explorejournal.com/article/S1550-8307%2811%2900346-6/fulltext) Louisiana is one of these backward states, and it is about to get much worse. We are going to get to see exactly what the conservative educational voucher model produces. One would think that citizens in other states would look at what the policies of the Right produce, but it doesn't seem to happen -- witness the current Presidential race, or the Wisconsin recall election. It may be that Americans just aren't up to democracy anymore.

Louisiana is embarking on the nation’s boldest experiment in privatizing public education, with the state preparing to shift tens of millions in tax dollars out of the public schools to pay private industry, businesses owners and church pastors to educate children.

Starting this fall, thousands of poor and middle-class kids will get vouchers covering the full cost of tuition at more than 120 private schools across Louisiana, including small, Bible-based church schools.

The following year, students of any income will be eligible for mini-vouchers that they can use to pay a range of private-sector vendors for classes and apprenticeships not offered in traditional public schools. The money can go to industry trade groups, businesses, online schools and tutors, among others.

Every time a student receives a voucher of either type, his local public school will lose a chunk of state funding.

‘We are changing the way we deliver education,’ said Governor Bobby Jindal, a Republican who muscled the plan through the legislature this spring over fierce objections from Democrats and teachers unions. ‘We are letting parents decide what’s best for their children, not government.’

BIBLE-BASED MATH BOOKS

The concept of opening public schools to competition from the private sector has been widely promoted in recent years […]

Read the Full Article