Illinois needs vouchers, choice

In his Aug. 21 column on Tuesday, August 21, Burt Constable was right to point out the obvious disparity within our state's education system. Why parents who decide to educate their children at home are forced to pay their hard-earned money into the public schools is beyond me.

But Mr. Constable should not have stopped with the home-schoolers. Indeed, the thousands of Illinois parents who decide to have their children educated in parochial schools also share the burden of having to pay for the state's public schooling system.

A school voucher system would solve this problem. Each parent or legal guardian should be given a certificate from the state that will allow them to choose which school their child will attend.

"Less government and more choice" should become the motto of the Illinois State Board of Education.

Michael Wester

Mount Prospect