SOURCE: National PTA
National PTA Critical of Bush Administration Education Agenda
WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to President George W. Bush's announcement on education, National PTA President Ginny Markell expressed dismay that the President's agenda includes vouchers. ``National PTA supports public money for public schools only, and will oppose all efforts to divert public funds to private and religious schools through vouchers, education savings accounts, and other funding mechanisms, regardless of the euphemistic term applied to them.'

DOES THIS SURPRISE ANYONE. NOW THEY SEEM TO BE SPEAKING FOR ALL CHILDREN AGAIN? OR IS IT THE TEACHERS UNIONS?? GIVE ME A BREAK. WHEN WILL THEY HAVE SCHOOLS HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR FAILING THESE KIDS YEAR AFTER YEAR. AND WHY DO THEY RESIST TELLING THE WHOLE STORY--THAT KIDS CAN USE THESE VOUCHERS TO GO TO OTHER PUBLIC SCHOOLS. (YOU KNOW--THE ONES THAT HAVE RISING TEST SCORES.) THIS SHOWS THAT THEY ARE NOT SPEAKING FOR ALL CHILDREN.

Vouchers are not going to save the children either. $1500 is not going to help someone afford school that is $6000 to $10000 or more a year.Vouchers are a way to get in good w/ the religious community.

Marion

I would have to disagree with the last post...a $1500.00 voucher would help some parents, like myself be able to better afford private school. I have been on both sides of this issue and have seen a class of 15 K students being able to read at mid point in the school year in private school and a class of 27!! students in public are still struggling to write their name properly at the same point. I also have many friends who are teachers who told me how much pressure the union put on them to defeat all types of vouchers...are they worried that when private schools have more money from vouchers that public school teachers will leave...taking their dues with them?? In our district we now have "schools of choice" and it seems that the majority of our students come from the city of Detroit (we are a suburb) and yes the violence and disruption in the classrooms is unreal...also the classes are so packed with kids it is like a can of sardines and our teachers have no aides!! So the people in failing districts do have choices...If I could, even being a PTO president in a public school, I would yank my kids in a second and put them in private school. When our area was trying to get the vouchers defeated our superintendant actually tried to get all PTO presidents to talk them down at meetings...Obviously she was not thrilled with my opinion...I do not believe the PTO is a place for political issues...I did however say I would not express my opinion either way...or perhaps have people from both sides of the issue to clarify questions at a meeting...but of course they didn't want that either!! I beleive that we should be able to use our children's education money how WE the taxpayers/parents see fit... not how groups such as the PTA or teachers union tell us to do. Everyone deserves a quality education while the are attending school...sure public schools are trying to improve, but will the improvements be in place before my kids are gone?? I don't think so...the wheels move way to slow...and our kids suffer in the process!

I am fortunate enough to have my kids in a school where I wouldn't consider vouchers, but I would like to have that option available. It's depressing to know that part of my PTA dues is going toward support of a political agenda that I don't agree with. Gifford is right on target!!

The National PTA is very upfront about the fact that it gets involved in politics. Indeed, one reason they attack non-PTA parent teacher organizations is that non-PTAs are generally non-political. Isn't it part of the PTA's basic premise that they work for "the children" in the political arena? That's always been my understanding. That's one reason I'm glad I'm part of a PTO, not a PTA. (I happen to agree with them on this issue, but I can see there would be areas in which I would disagree.)

Marion

Sorry, given the fact that they are a 501c3, not for profit charity, makes it illegal for them to be political. So however they justify it when they choose to be 'political' they are using all dues to their organization to push THEIR agenda, not exactly the agenda of the whole membership, just what the national organization deems worthy.