I become enraged when I hear that so many people, including our future president, support school vouchers without a clear understanding of this program. Firstly, taxpayer money would be funding private religious school tuition. But remember separation of church and state? Second, children who attend any school are entitled to free public school testing services for gifted and special needs.
Private-school students can also use the services of speech, physical and occupational therapists from Miami-Dade County Schools, for free. This is all while the allotted funds for that child’s education has followed them to a private school. So, who is financially picking up the tab for these therapists, school counselors and psychologists? If a student uses a voucher to attend a private school and decides mid-year to return to his or her home public school, guess where the money stays? The remaining funds do not return to the public school, requiring the public school system to educate that child for free. School vouchers will destroy the public school system.
Ruth Gordon, retired Miami-Dade public school
teacher, Miami
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