It has always been a special feature of our American democracy to support pubic education.
Public schools today need much more support to retain talented teachers; to offer competitive salaries when hiring; to provide rewards for teachers who are able to help troubled youth with problem families, gang pressures, and to escape poverty; to improve teacher retirement programs; to provide safe and secure school environments; and to upgrade the performance of administrators, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, and everyone else working in the system.
Recent legislation requiring schools to improve security without providing money to pay for it is unacceptable.
Withholding public school support until after the voucher program is funded is also unacceptable.
Private schools are an important part of American education.
But using tax money to provide vouchers to help pay private school tuition is simply not in the tradition of our American democracy,
Larry D. Lauer 