Brewing Battle Over School Vouchers

VOUCHERS from page 7

DAVID HECKER

N

6/9

2000
10

The Local Angle

The chances of a single local Jewish child
receiving a voucher from the state of
"Educators know what works
Michigan to attend a private school for
to enhance public schools:
2001-2002 school year — or for the next
smaller class sizes, enhancing
few years — are zero to slim.
infrastructure -- buildings,
First, they must attend a "failing" school
technology and the most basic
district or one that votes to allow its stu-
equipment — and teacher
dents to use vouchers. And, second, they
training and in-service.
must find a private school that wants to par-
"I don't know anyone who is for the status quo
ticipate.
in public education. We want to see improve-
So far, those schools of interest to the
ments and we are working very hard for them.
Detroit - area Jewish population have shown
But this isn't it."
no desire to accept voucher students.
Of the private schools contacted, only
-- David Hecker, secretaly-treasurer,
Detroit Country Day School in Beverly
Michigan Federation of Teachers and
Hills answered with a firm "no."
School-Related Employees
Scott Cranis, chief financial officer at
Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit,
k,a..>\a.ttmatse::atawaRx.zEatma'tkzmw-Amttgmad.e*mvgmvm.na
said the school's board of directors had not
formally addressed the issue.
ment, which now stands at about $6,500 per student
"In general, we mirror the positions of the
annually, varying somewhat among school districts.
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, which
The amount has risen a percentage each year, as set
opposes vouchers," he said. "Obviously, we want to
by the state legislature, with some tinkering to allow
grow, to educate any child who deserves a Jewish
the very lowest-funded districts to catch up.
education. But at the same time, we do not want to
The proposal guarantees that per-pupil funding
do anything that would encourage the weakening of
will never drop below the level set for 2000 - 2001.
the public schools."
ALL Kids First! finds this troublesome at the very
Quite possibly, vouchers would never serve a
least because funding levels for the coming fiscal year
measurable number of Jewish families. Then why
haven't been set yet.
all the interest in the Jewish community?
Teacher testing: The proposal will require regular
First, there is the concern raised by Rabbi
testing of teachers at both public schools and private
Freedman. The highest level of charity is giving
schools where kids are eligible to receive vouchers.
people the tools they need to help themselves, and
Kids First! Yes! gives no explanation of the changes it
this proposal would do that, he said.
seeks by this provision; Michigan already has a pro-
However, opponents of the proposal are equally
gram of teacher testing.
altruistic. Private schools will be under no obliga-
School choice: Parents of students in school districts
tion to accept any specific applicant, even if they
where less than 67 percent of high school seniors
participate in the program. No transportation will
failed to graduate at the close of the 1998-99 school
be provided, and no requirements will be made for
year would receive a tuition voucher worth about
special-education students to be accepted.
half the average of state and local funds dedicated to
When it comes to a vote," said voucher oppo-
that child. That amount, estimated at between
nent Debbie Levin of Southfield, "people will real-
$3,100 and $3,600, would be applied toward tuition
ize this will destroy our public schools and they
at a private or parochial school that accepts vouchers.
really don't want to do that. "If we destroy our
School boards in non-failing districts can vote to
public schools, where about 95 percent of our peo-
participate in the voucher program. In addition, if at
ple go, we are in serious trouble."
least 10 percent of those in a school district who
If the Michigan proposal passes, it would be a
voted in the past school-board election sign petitions,
foot in the door for a much larger and more expen-
they can force their district to hold a special election
sive hit to the state education budget — tuition tax
for voters to decide whether they want to participate.
credits. Parents then would be able to deduct a
"It's probably the most progressive reform pro-
portion of the fees paid to a private or parochial
gram Michigan voters will face in a generation," said
school from their tax bills.
Greg McNeilly, communications director of Kids
First! Yes!
Tracking Tax Funds
Not all agree. "Vouchers have nothing to do with
According
to the MJCAV, 85 percent of the private
social justice," said Howard Wallach, co-chair with
schools
in
Michigan
are run by religious institu-
Nathan of the MJCAV and past president of the
tions — a Christian denomination for the over-
Jewish Community Council of Metropolitan
whelming majority. This means the vast majority of
Detroit.
the tax dollars from Michigan's Jewish families will
"Characterizing them as 'opportunity scholarships'
pay to support religious education in non-Jewish
likewise misses the point. The term 'opportunity'
parochial schools.
connotes something for a very limited and select
When Harold Norris, distinguished professor
group."
emeritus
from Detroit College of Law, was working
He accused voucher supporters of resorting to
on
Article
II in Michigan's constitution, which pro-
"'buzz words that may sound palatable to the unin-
hibits the use of public funds for private education,
formed."

he was inspired by the language of the First
Amendment of the United States Constitution that
guarantees separation of church and state.
"Isn't a religious school an intrinsic adjunct of
religion? The whole purpose is to make sure the
religion is perpetuated," Norris said.
"There's nothing wrong with that activity; in
fact, that's a protected activity, to have a school," he
said. "But to say 'I have a right to government
money because the public schools get that money'
is totally inconsistent with the American
Constitution and American political practice."
However, Norris said, the advantage works both
ways. America's Constitution may stop the govern-
ment from financially subsidizing churches, but it
also stops governments from controlling religious
activities.
On the national scene, the Orthodox Union,
which represents about 1,000 congregations in the
United States, views the First Amendment in a dif-
ferent light.
"We believe in the separation of church and
state; we just don't have the rigid view of what
church/state separation is that others do," said
Nathan Diament, the group's spokesperson. "The
establishment clause of the First Amendment was
not designed to empower the government to dis-
criminate against religious people or religious insti-
tutions. It was designed to ensure there was no offi-
cial state religion — to create a religiously pluralis-
tic society, not an anti-religious secular society.
"There is nothing unconstitutional about law-
abiding, tax-paying parents who wish to avail them-
selves of parochial school education for their chil-
dren to receive some measure of support from the
state," Diament said.
The American Jewish Committee takes a posi-
tion that it is "simply unacceptable" to expect tax-
payers to support anyone's religious teaching in any
way, said Richard Foltin, legislative director and

M,MNRWEOZVMNISZKESVNARSWRW.2aSMMkEM

SHERRI DEVRIES

"On a personal level I would love it [the
extra funds], but I don't think it would
help separation of church and state. If it
comes down to the line that's what I'd be
concerned about.
"Once the government starts giving all
money to parochial schools, they are
n to say, Why are we spending tax
w ithout any control?'
stricts are failing, it doesn't
g ive up. What they have
schools. It's not going
ave competition.

— Sherri Devries
ofWest Bloomfield, who
has three children at
Hillel Day School

2
a,

O

0

