Vouchers: A Questionable Answer To an Unasked Question

Providing vouchers to private and parochial students has been offered as the answer to reforming public education--ah, but what was the question? Some public officials and policy gurus are advancing vouchers as the "silver bullet" to improve America's public schools. Unfortunately, they have not paused to clearly frame the central question underlying the problem they seek to resolve, nor have they considered other questions which emerge as a result of their rush to judgment.

As is often the case in the educational reform policy arena, there is a serious disconnect between the issues which need to be addressed and the solutions put forth. In effect, answers are provided to questions which have not been asked, and questions which beg a reply are dismissed or disregarded.

To those who support public funds' being used to supply vouchers for students to attend private and parochial schools, the following 10 questions (and answers)...