Kevin Chavous, chairman of Democrats for Education Reform, argues that "Vouchers Can Help Kids and Big-City Politicians" (op-ed, Oct. 8) who are struggling to fund public schools and other city services while keeping up with budget-crushing pension, health-care and debt obligations. As Mr. Chavous appears to recognize, the major impediments to "unleashing parental choice in education" are: most big-city politicians and their teachers-union benefactors; Democratic, white, liberal elites; and the Obama administration. Conservatives generally support school choice.Democrats are such hateful, horrible people who in fact spit on the poor and rob them of their dignity.
Why are white, liberal elites so hostile to school choice? A primary argument is that public-school resources are reduced when students exit the system and that the better alternative is to make all public schools work.
A less-advertised rationale for opposition to vouchers is, at its core, pure and simple paternalism mixed with condescension. Poorly educated, impoverished black parents, including many women raising children on their own, are unprepared to evaluate and select the best school options for their children. It takes a state, run by enlightened and educated liberals, to decide what is best for those disadvantaged students. One can understand that big-city pols kowtow to teachers unions, even if Mr. Chavous is correct that school choice actually can ease budget pressures. The willingness of well-off white liberals and the Obama administration to keep throwing poor black children under the public-school bus is dumbfounding and inexcusable.
Terry Hill
Reston, Va.
Shame on them. Shame on anyone who calls themselves a Democrat.
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