PDK/Gallup Poll Shows Continued Public Opposition to Vouchers
The 46th Annual PDK/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools came out in late August, illustrating public opinions about a variety of education issues. Two of the issues the Poll addressed are the public’s lack of support for private school vouchers and its misunderstanding about the fact that charter schools cannot teach religion.
AU opposes private school vouchers for many reasons, including their failure to provide better education opportunities for students, their lack of accountability, and their ability to use taxpayer funds to teach religion, violating the principle of the separation of church and state.
According to the poll, a majority of Americans agree with AU and oppose vouchers as well. This year, 63 percent of participants opposed school vouchers, not far off from last year’s even more extreme response of 70 percent in opposition. The fact that a majority of the public do not support vouchers points out how misguided state and federal legislators really are when they push these programs.
School vouchers continue to be struck down in the courts as well: a North Carolina Superior Court recently ruled that private school vouchers violate the state constitution based on the voucher schools’ ability to discriminate based on religion while using public funds, among other reasons.
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