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A Case for Vouchers by Charmaine Jackson In 1955, Milton Freidman, a Nobel Prize winner, first proposed tax-financed certificates (vouchers) for parents to pay tuition at schools (public or private) where they chose to send their children as a solution to the socialist model of public education. (Bast, 1997) In 1958, Virgil C. Blum published a book also endorsing tax credits and vouchers, calling for an end to socialism in education. (Blum, 1958) More than 40 years after these first proposals, vouchers seem to be closer than ever to their political success.. The proponents for vouchers state that competition is good for the public school system. Education theory says the parental choice is the most important component in keeping parents involved in their child’s education. Parental involvement has shown to be an important factor in student achievement. Public opinion polls show that the majority of parents believe that the public schools are not doing very well with the money and resources they are given. Most parents indicate that if they could afford it, they would send their children to private schools, and most then, are supportive of a voucher program. (Allen, 1996) Using the ideas behind economic theory, vouchers would aid in putting the same standards on schools as you would put on corporations-providing higher quality services, more customer satisfaction and lower prices should produce a better product.
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