Opinion
Education Letter to the Editor

Voucher Plan Disregards Wishes of D.C. Voters

March 15, 2005 1 min read
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Sally Sacher’s letter defending the District of Columbia school voucher plan (“Key Facts Overlooked in Voucher-Program Report,” March 2, 2005) overlooked an important fact: The plan was imposed on the District of Columbia by Congress against the wishes of the majority of Washington residents.

When local voters had a chance to vote on a tax-code voucher plan in 1981, they rejected it 89 percent to 11 percent.

No school voucher plan has ever been approved by a state’s voters. The Wisconsin, Ohio, Florida, and District of Columbia voucher plans were adopted not by the people, but by political fiat.

Furthermore, Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida’s new attempt to promote vouchers in his state, while the matter is still before the state supreme court, shows contempt for that court and for his state’s constitution.

Edd Doerr

President

Americans for Religious Liberty

Silver Spring, Md.

A version of this article appeared in the March 16, 2005 edition of Education Week as Voucher Plan Disregards Wishes of D.C. Voters

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