WHEREAS:

Vouchers are not really "choice." Voucher proponents argue that vouchers will increase parental choice, but in voucher programs the choice is really in the hands of the private school, which can select which students to admit; and

WHEREAS:

Vouchers will do nothing to raise student achievement. There is no credible evidence that private schools outperform public schools. The recently released official evaluation of the Cleveland voucher plan shows no improvement in achievement for voucher students; and

WHEREAS:

Voucher proponents often hold out the voucher program as the "utopia" of parental involvement. That is just not so. Parents do not need vouchers to get involved in the curriculum, policy decisions or the governance of a school; and

WHEREAS:

Vouchers weaken educational opportunities. Ninety-percent of American school children attend public schools. Public schools must accept all students -- students with disabilities, behavior problems or low achievement levels -- who live in the district. Most non-public schools have established selection criteria that effectively exclude those students who tend to be the more expensive to educate. Further, while public schools must retain students who are discipline problems, or who are having trouble academically, there are no such restrictions on private schools; and

WHEREAS:

Public schools receive funding based on the number of students in attendance. Vouchers would divert scarce financial resources from the public school system. Children in the public school system would face the prospect of a limited education in a system unable to afford to educate them properly; and

WHEREAS:

School vouchers, or "educational IRA’s" for private schools creating tax-free savings accounts to pay for private and religious schools, would do nothing to improve the teaching or learning in public schools and would disproportionately benefit wealthy families who already send their children to private and religious schools.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That AFSCME strongly opposes vouchers as an attempt to divert public resources to support private education at a time when we need to do all we can to improve our public schools; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME will maximize its efforts to oppose any legislation that proposes school vouchers or ballot initiatives which would create a school voucher system.

SUBMITTED BY:

JoAnn Johntony, President and Delegate 
Sandra Wheeler, Secretary and Delegate 
OAPSE/AFSCME Local 4
Ohio