Vouchers and School Choice are Not Necessary :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

The issue of "choice", like so many other novel educational reform attempts, serve once again to highlight the fact that something is desperately wrong with the current educational system. While everyone seems to be fully aware of the need for change, no one really knows where to start. In the process of making sense of this need to pin down the problems that beset education, many end up latching on to any novel idea that even vaguely offers the hope of finally bringing that educational calm and success everyone so desperately longs for. The problem with this hit-and-run approach is that it almost always ends up fragmenting the communities and societies that should in fact be pooling their energies and resources on the issue of educational reform. Name me ANY reform movement, and I'll show you at least two camps for each of them - one "for", and one "against". The proponents of educatonal choice have, over time, carefully built up their pool of arguments in support of its implementation. To fully understand this perspective, and before I share mine, I have selected a collection of quotes from various proponents of educational choice which should present, albeit statically, the central issues underlying the concerns of these and many other students, parents, and teachers. In the process of reading them, please try to focus on the issues they represent rather than the emotions that presently drive them. "It is time to develop political muscle for parents and children. We know that our urban public school systems are hopelessly broken. We know that unless the parents of children in public schools are able to threaten to enroll their children in competing private schools, the public schools will never be held accountable." "Lessons must be learned from Voucher Bill Defeat", Joseph Walsh "The most recent National Assessment of Education Progress reading test reports that 30% of high school seniors, 31% of eighth graders, and 42% of fourth graders couldn't reach "basic" reading levels. Those students who have spent from four to thirteen years in school, don't have even "partial mastery" of the reading skills expected at their grade level." "The High Cost of Rationing Literacy", Martha C. Brown "There is no more important issue today than the education of our children. We could possibly disagree that our society - crippled by gang violence, teen pregnancy, and welfare dependancy - would experience a Renaissance if every child received quality education?