I don't support the school voucher system (or equivalent), for a variety of reasons that I have seen through my sister and her husband making the decision as to how to educate their children. My niece and nephew were home-schooled through 8th grade, and now attend a public high school.
The way I've heard the idea described is essentially...once everyone has vouchers, then everyone will be able to attend private schools. I can't see how this will happen.
Private schools are typically in demand. Students are often wait-listed. There are not enough slots as it is for students that want to attend private school.
With all respect to Kane, building/privatizing more schools is not necessarily the answer. A significant portion of a school's reputation is tied to how long a school has been in existence. Building more buildings would still create a big gap between the venerable time-tested schools and the schools still being beta-tested. Vouchers will simply inflate the tuition rates by driving up demand, but will do very little to bring an "old school" education to an average child from an average family.
Private schools, and their students, rely heavily on public schools. Private schools depend on the local public schools to provide tuturing sessions, activities, sports, special-interest classes, even school busing services (esp. for parochial schools).
Private schools generally do not have the resources to deal with differently-abled students. Students with learning disorders, emotional problems, developmental difficulties, handicaps...all have the right to an education. A former colleage of mine has a son that has faced a few challenges. Recently, they told me they were moving. I asked where to, they said they were staying in the same city, just moving to a different house. The city they live in...is not city that I would live in, frankly speaking...and probably not their first choice, either. But, the school system is the 2nd largest in the state, and actually has a learning program that is suited to their son's problems.
Many private schools, and some charter schools, interview the parents of children that seek to attend the school. They ask the parents to make their own commitments for helping their children with their homework, participating in school activities, etc. This is all factored in to the application process.
If someone were to start a MA school, could make everyone "apply" for the school, and had a goal of making the best martial artists possible over the course of (say) 4 years...the students picked would likely be the students showing the most potential and having the most tools for success.
Compare this with someone starting an MA school that agrees to train everyone that shows up. They commit to making the students the best martial artists they can, but they have no control over who comes in the door. Some are brilliant. Others lazy. Some are handicapped. Others don't speak English as a first language, but are trying really hard to understand what the instructor says. Some are good. Some are average. Others are well below average.
Private schools have the luxury of being able to pick and choose their students. Public schools do not.
