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November 29, 2006

What they didn't say

The Springfield (Missouri) News-Leader featured an editorial on vouchers over the weekend.  I'm going to quote a lengthier passage than I usually do, because I want to illustrate something in context:

Critics of public schools who support vouchers — allowing public money to be used by students to pay for private education — most often point to one word when making their case: accountability.

Those who believe the public schools aren't doing their job suggest vouchers will be the ultimate accountability tool.

Parents who are dissatisfied can take their money and go elsewhere.

The problem is, vouchers provide no accountability at all.

When applied in a system that involves spending public money on private schools, a voucher system will do one of two things:

It will provide no accountability because the long arm of government has no control over private schools.

Or it will bring accountability by allowing the government to exercise some control over private schools because public money will be involved.

One of our key assertions is that parents provide serious accountability.  The editorial staff clearly disagrees...but why?  Rather than give some reason or explanation for why we might be wrong, they merely cut to other aspects of the accountability argument.  Come on, News-Leader--why do you believe parents provide no accountability?  You say we're wrong, so tell us how. 

I do applaud the editorial board for endorsing public school choice.  But if they're going to oppose vouchers, it would be nice if they told the whole story.   

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