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Show June 11, 1971 Page 6 The UTAH INDEPENDENT THE VOUCHER SYSTEM Many advocates of liberty have Given the apparent advantages of the voucher proposal and recently responded with enthusiasm to the proposal of a voucher the nature of the opposition, it is plan for primary and secondary tempting for those who favor education. Under this proposal, liberty to rush into the breach children and support it with unrestrained parents of school-ag-e would be given vouchers which enthusiasm. Unfortunately, the could be redeemed at local public promise that some see in the schools or be used as part or full voucher system is illusory. If such a plan were ever payment of tuition at a private or parochial school. When used to adopted, powerful interests would immediately begin lobbypay for private education, the vouchers would have a specific ing in support of restrictive legislation that would undercut the cash value. Proponents of the plan argue element of free choice in the plan that it would offer several advan- as it now stands. Under pressure tages over the existing system ol from strong special interest education in the groups such as Shanker s United United States. Parents would be Federation of Teachers, laws free to enroll their children in a might be passed to require that private school without the burden teachers in private schools meet of paying tuition over and above standardized licensing requirethe taxes they pay to support ments and that the physical plant public education. Public schools , of private schools meet arbitrary forced to compete for the tax standards established by the dollars they now receive auto- government. Laws could (and tax-support- ed matically, would be under would) follow laws, reformers qould Furthermore, once the state edu- come to advocate the imposition, cational monopoly had been on private schools, of what they broken, the private sector, would term academic staninfused with the vitality of a free dards; and, just as we now have a market, would begin to perform costly system of public education minor miracles in attending to the that wears the label free, we educational needs of America. So may easily end up with a system of state education that bears the say proponents. On the other hand, some say appellation private. There is a descriptive term that that, if implemented, the voucher economic system in plan would virtually eliminate applies to an business is nominally public elementary and secondary which while education; public schools would under private ownership be at a serious disadvantage if the state maintains an absolute forced to compete with private control over private business Is institutions for tax dollars since activities; that term is fascist. their rigic. bureaucratic structure this what we want for American would not permit them to res- education? pressure to improve their services. self-proclaim- ed cates of liberty supported the voucher proposal? The magic word here seems to be choice. But if the possible consequences of the voucher system that I have outlined here were to become a reality the parent who wished to send his child to a school free of government control would have a smaller choice than he has at present or no choice at all. At this point, many readers will remain unconvinced that the voucher system is a step in the wrong direction, that is, away dicted that the adoption of such a plan would lead to the end oi public education. A strong opponent of the voucher plan, Shanker bases his opposition on allegations that support for such a system comes only from parochial school interests making a grab for public funds, from those who wish to put their hands in the public till to send their children to segregated schools, from various revolutionary groups who hope to dis-semin- their ideas tax-support- ed ate in institutions, and from selfish taxpayers who believe the implementation of a voucher system would result in a cutback in future allocations of Federal and state funds to education. Those who oppose the use of the coercive power of the state social purposes are for from Shanker s analysis. One cannot resist pointing, but that Shanker himself is the representative of an extremely powerful special interest group that has a strong vested interest in the continuance of the present system of public education. voucher proposal are playing the game that, in freshman political science courses, is called democratic pluralism. In plain language, this term describes a society composed of rival gangs each fighting the others for a bigger cut of the tax collector's booty. Subsidies Are Not to Editorial Free- - Stepping-Ston- e dom j endorsement to a principle that they profess to oppose. The fund- amental premise of the voucher plan is identical to that undo- lying the present system of state education. The coercive power of the state (which in the final analysis means the threat or use of coercive government the field of education, runs the argument, it will not come over-night. If the present coercive system of primary and secondary 'education were abolished on the first of next month, many think the result would be chaos. Private ' Continued on control of our pocketbooks and of our children's minds. To answer this argument, let us I DGILB. BIUJSH examine the nature of the E Hearing Service choice that the proponents of the voucher system offer. In element blunt terms the of choice amounts to offering the children parents of school-ag-e options in how they may spend the money of others that has been expropriated by the state. In principle, the freedom of choice offered by the voucher system is no different from the freedom demanded by some welfare recipients to spend public monies on such things as liquor as a P . 7 See the newest thing in Hearing Aids at DELL BUSH, the only hearing aids with 22 patents Analog computer circuits Z so-call- ed jZ m O Free Testing 5 5 Hearing O O 1 Repairs & Aid evaluation All Makes Computer Hearing Aids O Ear Molds Manufactured in Our Own Laboratories 2 lt Dt with Pay to Man Who Wor. Qn : Dial Z 668 East 4th South 364-12- 78 irte 1 FATHER'S DAY M & 2 I 2n RECLINER SALE ii H C SO m EXTRA COMFORT FOR DAD ON to HIS DAY AT A PRICE ANYONE CAN AFFORD. DON'T Mill OUT. I - 2 e GIFT IDEAS FOR a. DADS OF ALL AGES M BRASS DESK LAMPS u ZODIAC WALL PLAQUES OLD MASTER PICTURES SPANISH GALLEON PICTURE CL v AVAILABLE IN HEAVY VINYL GOLD-BLAC- K c m to -- OLIVE - BROWN REG. 89.95 I n $9 $4 $19 ... $9 . ii I r IMITED QUANTHIE' 3 I to to O IM I a toi 0m to 1 3 ooc at REG. 19.90 HURRY LIMITED QUANTITIES to u. O to ALL BANKCARDS 0 HOURS HEAVY ONYX BOOKENDS 9" TALL so-cal'- ed conspl ;ucusly omitted Those who support the satisfied by the present system, There is one more argument Those proponents of liberty who advocate the voucher system advanced in support of vouchers fail to recognize that, in so doing, that has not yet been answered. If they are giving an implicit liberty is ever to be regained in from liberty. They might argue that the dismal possibilities I have cited are simply potential pitfalls, not necessary consequences; if we anticipate these statist measures, they can be fought and defeated. Therefore, they might conclude, the voucher system can be a constructive step toward the elimination individuals in the name of an indefinable public good. the state takes over any market function, its citizens soon come to regard this as a natural and proper state of affairs; conservative citizens are no more immunized against this syndrome than any others. Just as the liberal may seek an expansion of welfare services on the grounds that present programs fail to meet the full needs of the people, so many conservatives are falling into the trap of advocating an expan- sion of the state's role in educa- tion because their needs are not The Unseen Coercion Behind the Good Intentions pond to the demands of a free market in education. No less an advocate of public education than Albert Shanker has pre- ufeed to well as on the necessities of life. of the gun) will still be The unfortunate fact is that when seize the property of private Why, then, have many advo- The Promise Is Illusory By Robert Patton FOR THE UNWARY so to 10-6weel- 1 cly Mon.Fri. til WELCOME OUT OF TOWN a. 2 to BUYERS WELCOME DELIVERIES ARRANGED. 2124 Highland Dr. I Sugar House . I t t I 4 I ' I |