re: #526 ~Fianna

That’s a really good point. Aside from the Madrassah-type schools, I don’t want government mucking around too much in the curricula of a private school. I’d hate to see Catholic schools have to teach birth control, for example.

I strongly support vouchers because it seems like it should be a Liberal position. Urban schools are absolutely failing people and very much contributing to a situation where gains that have been made in the past 30 years are going to start to go away because mainly children of color are being miseducated to the point where they can’t succeede in college and move on to professional careers. Vouchers seem to be a good way to induce competition and provide a way to find and nurture talented kids across all race/economic lines.

We’re certainly not doing it now, anyway.

I hate the NEA and teacher’s unions, too. And I supported the Bush Faith-Based Initiatives program.

In general, I probably see a broader role for government than most of you do, but I’d rather see more of that in the hands of local and state governments - they’re easier to watch that way, and it’s easier for reformer and outsider candidates to win those races than Federal races.
I’m in the awkward position where the Republican friends I have think I’m a left liberal kook and the Democratic friends I have think I’m a right-wing nutcase.

Yes, voucher support should be a “liberal” position, and probably it’s the thing that makes the best sense right now.

I would prefer to see the federal government out, with more control going to local entities. Of course, then we’re faced with the situation such as the one in Texas - creationists in charge. I’m at a loss to figure that one out.

btw - my daughter attended Catholic school; they offered a “human sex and sexuality” course as part of their religion classes; and they were taught about birth control. Of course, they were also taught about the Church’s position on birth control. But it’s a mistake to think that Catholic kids are not taught about birth control. They are.