Divide on D.C. Vouchers

One devastating impact on children in the $410 billion Omnibus legislation being debated in the Senate is the removal of a successful school voucher program in the District of Columbia.

The pilot program has been proven to help thousands of underprivileged kids in D.C. but its funding is being yanked by the Democratic leadership in Congress at the behest of teachers’unions.

Fortunately, the kids in D.C. have found a potential ally in one of President Obama’s cabinet secretaries.

[On March 4th] Education Secretary Arne Duncan said that while the administration still opposes vouchers, on the whole they believe that poor children getting vouchers to attend private schools in the District of Columbia should be allowed to stay there.

It makes sense to give the nation’s children the best choices possible in education so they can secure good jobs to help pay for the huge amounts of debt they will be burdened with thanks to the various “stimulus” and “omnibus” bills and numerous bailouts pouring from this administration and Congress.

Tony Perkins heads the Family Research Council. This article is excerpted from the Washington Update that he compiles for the FRC.