Vouchers Fail Test

The letter by Bruce Crawford (“Educators Must Heed the Public,” June 8) has a familiar ring. Schools are failing; it’s the fault of the teachers union (CTA) and government and vouchers are the solution.

Rather than debating school performance (third- and fourth-grade science and math scores are among the highest in the world, so I guess things aren’t that bad) or who’s to blame, let’s look at the fix (vouchers) that Mr. Crawford says is wanted by the electorate.

I have a tough time believing California voters would pass a voucher initiative when voucher measures lost by margins of 70% to 30% in 1992 and 1993. And in 1996, an initiative measure couldn’t muster enough signatures to be placed on the ballot. Nationally, voters from 17 other states have turned down vouchers.

Vouchers aren’t popular because voters correctly see them as harming public education while promoting religion. Vouchers transfer taxpayer funds (through recipients) to private schools--80% of whom are run by churches. As a result, they have been ruled unconstitutional in Wisconsin and Ohio because public money is used to subsidize religious instruction. Vouchers would undoubtedly be declared unconstitutional in California also.

WILLIAM R. LAKIN

Member Executive Committee

Project Freedom of Religion

Capistrano Beach