Include vouchers in education discussion

An open letter to Ralph Martire, regarding your July 17 “Guest view”:

The next time you write a piece on the funding of K-12 education in this “great” state of Illinois, maybe you could include the benefits a voucher program would have. Giving parents a choice on how and where their children are educated will help all children and also the state and county coffers.

If you’re going to argue that this will kill public education, I beg to differ. Few parents would pull their children from a school district such as New Trier. But CPS would lose a number of students, as well they should. It is my feeling that the school district is run by and for CPU.

All they do is ask for more money when 40% of the students are chronically absent. Doubling the per-student spending isn’t going to help those kids.

This is not the fault of the teachers. Parents have to be invested in their children’s education. If they’re not, throwing more money into the system isn’t going to make the impact you’re hoping for.

Stephen Wallace

Lombard