"Touting an Asset: Voucher Schools"

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Editorial:

The debate on school choice in Milwaukee is often punctuated with a whole lot of fingers poking the air and decibels assaulting the eardrums. The two sides are that far apart on the merits of the program, which allows parents of the city's low-income students to opt into private education if they believe public schools aren't serving their children's needs.

A promotional campaign on television, radio and in print over the next four months will not settle the issue. We hope, however, that it enlightens policy-makers, particularly those in Madison, that this is a program that enjoys broad support locally and contains an abundance of success stories.

Yes, the same can be said of students and schools in the Milwaukee Public Schools system. That's the point. Both deserve enthusiastic support. This should not be an either/or proposition. We're way past that.

At least we should be. The fear from those behind this campaign is that the program is still vulnerable - that it might not be some bold legislation that undoes it but a death of a thousand cuts, legislatively speaking.

The fear is not unreasonable. The reaction to a memo sent by Rep. Fred Kessler (D-Milwaukee) to the governor was overblown. The proposals to diminish choice contained therein were meant as starting points for a discussion with the governor. Still, it's understandable that the choice community would react the way it did given that the discussion even would start at some of those points. And Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker (D-Weston) has been a foe of school choice.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at February 4, 2008 8:45 AM
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