POINT/COUNTERPOINT

We Must Respect
Separation Of Church And State

Parent Power Grows
Within Public Education

improvement of the public schools that
he question to ask in this
involves facilitating their abandonment.
debate is whether public
There are those who argue that
funding for private schools is
vouchers enhance choice. But under a
good for education of all of
voucher system, parents will not be able
America's children.
to choose "the best school" if the school
Vouchers involve the diversion of tax
of
their choice can refuse to admit a
dollars to support sectarian institutions
child.
Not every child will be accepted
— not only your choice of a religious
to a nonpublic school (or, if
education, but your neighbor's
accepted,
will have the trans-
choice as well. Part of the edu-
portation
necessary
to get
cational mission of a parochial
there).
The
real
choice
belongs
school is to train the next gen-
to
the
private
schools,
which
eration of adherents to a faith.
reserve the right to refuse to
Being forced to support
admit
students on the basis of
another person's religious pref-
income,
academic achieve-
erences with your tax dollars is
ment,
disability,
discipline
the antithesis of religious lib-
problems
or
available
space.
erty. We may be a richer and
If
the
concern
is
really
more diverse culture due to
WEN DY
about improving education.
the existence of parochial
WAGEN HEIM the discussion would not be
schools, but the right to send
Special to The
about vouchers — it would be
one's children to a religiously
Jewish News
about reducing class size,
affiliated school does not
increasing student performance
include the right to have tax-
and
reacher training, improving
payers fund that choice.
technology,
involving
parents in schools
This sentiment is not hostile to reli-
and
in
their
kids'
lives
and improving
gion. To the contrary, religious freedom
the
physical
environment
of the schools.
flourishes in this country precisely
Most
parents
—
because
of conve-
because of respect for separation of
nience,
lack
of
transportation
or
church and state and government neu-
will
because
they
are
not
dissatisfied
trality, not in spite of it.
choose
the
neighborhood
public
school
Vouchers are an education reform
for their children. There is no real alter-
tactic designed more by economic theo-
native to improving the neighborhood
rists and parochial school advocates
public
school.
than by school reformers. Educators are
As the voucher debate unfolds, we
not likely to design a program for the
need to ask what's best for all children.
Wendy Wagenheim is legislative
The answer cannot be the dismantling
affairs director for the American Civil
of our public schools to subsidize pri-
Liberties Union of Michigan.
vate and parochial schools. D

She made the switch to Hope Acade-
n the '50s, Jewish leaders stood
my, where she said her daughter got a
on the vanguard of defending
second
chance at an education. In fact,
civil rights and improving pub-
Ballard reported to us, 'As for myself,
lic education. Today, those same
I graduated from 12th grade in Cleve-
concerns have led many to the cause
land
public schools, but now (after
of parental choice — a simple plan for
switching
to Hope), my third-grade
empowering parents ro use their
daughter
can
read better than I can."
child's education dollars at the school
After a lengthy
of their choice —
study
of the fate of
whether or not it is
poor
children,
the
run by the govern-
president of Colum-
ment.
bia Teacher College,'=
For us, it has
Arthur
Levine,
much to do with
reported
Ballard's
parents like Pamela
motherly
instincts
Ballard, an African
to
want
choice
for
American single
her
child,
were
right
mother of four chil-
on target. Said
dren, whose daugh-
RABBI E.B. '
BRYAN
Levine in a recent
ter benefited from a
FREEDMAN
GRANT
interview: "To force
state-funded choice
TAYLOR
children
into inade-
scholarship.
quate
schools
is to
Special
to
The
Jewish
News
In Cleveland's
deny
them
any
district schools, her
chance of success. To
8-year-old daughter
do
so
simply
based
on their parent's
Antonice was a "D" or "F" student in
income
is
a
sin.
For
me, it's the equiv-
all subjects. She would cry uncontrol-
alent
of
Schindler's
list."
lably at school and was afraid for her
Moreover, empowering parents to
safety.
take
their child and their child's edu-
"They labeled my daughter a prob-
cation
dollars out of failing schools
lem child in the Cleveland public
provides
an ingredient critical to
schools," Ballard told us. So when
reform
accountability.
Michigan's
Ohio began providing parental choice
many
good
district
schools
have noth-
scholarships, Ballard was first in line.
ing to fear from choice, but our worst
schools will be forced to either
Rabbi E. B. Freedman is the director
improve or be replaced. As Pamela
of Jewish Hospice Services in Southfield.
Ballard
found out, once choice came,
Bryan Grant Taylor is executive direc-
the Cleveland school district launched
tor of TEACH Michigan Education-
PARENT POWER on page 29
Fund.

T

I

LETTERS

names. Perhaps some of your other
readers can supply their identities.

Bette Schein
Farmington Hills

Benefit Was
Successful

We want to thank the Detroit Jewish
community for its support of the
Children of Chernobyl.
On Nov. 1, at a concert honoring
Melinda "Mindy" Soble, we raised
enough money to air-lift three chil-
dren to Israel.
More than 1,300 children are wait-
ing to be rescued. Every clay the chil-
dren remain in the Chernobyl region
puts them at risk for thyroid cancer,
leukemia and birth defects. The 1986
nuclear explosion poisoned the food,

12/11
1998

26 Detroit Jewish News

water, air and supplies in the region.
Help us, please, to air-lift the 1,337
children waiting to be rescued. As we
approach Chanukah, the Festival of
Lights, consider the gift you can pro-
vide. We look forward to your contin-
ued support.

Phyllis Meer
President, Michigan Region
Children of Chernobyl

Relief Package
Is Lacking

While President Clinton should be
commended for his tremendous efforts
to create peace in the Middle East, his
relief package for the Palestinian
Authority, which he announced
recently, was lacking.
In helping to provide the Palesrini-

ans with the basic necessities, such as
water purification, training, security
and economic development, President
Clinton's relief package omits the most
important need of all: health care.
Currently, many Palestinians receive
medical treatment from Israeli hospitals.
However, since some Palestinians do
not have national health insurance and
often are impoverished, Israeli hospitals
frequently treat Palestinian patients free
of charge. This generosity has cost
Israel's government millions of shekels.
It is time for a change. To help the
Palestinian Authority in its quest for
independence, the United States must
help Palestinians care for themselves
by allocating funds for health care.

Menno Ratzker
American Committee for Shaare Zedek
Medical Center
Jerusalem

Artwork
Flawed

While reading Annabel Cohen's Food
article on "How To Cater Your Yom
Kippur Break-Fast" (Sept. 25), I loved
her recipe for Brazilian French Toast.
What an interesting new twist to a
dairy break-fast.
But you can only imagine my hor-