Public funding for private schools
Agudath Israel’s Josh Prusansky has an oped in the Asbury Park Press and Bergen Record today pushing state funding for private school education:
Private education in New Jersey is a more complex issue than simply favoring or opposing school vouchers. It is about the right of parents to choose where they send their children to school, and the state’s responsibility to ensure that they have equal access to education funding. Apart from school voucher programs, there are a variety of simple ways New Jersey could improve private education for more of our children.
He mentions two ways: extending federal funds allocated to state education to private schools, and a scholarship program for low-income children (corporations would get tax relief for donations they make to the scholarship funds).
In the comments section, someone using the moniker “TryAgainBubba99″ has a surprisingly articulate response:
Parents absolutely have the right to choose how their children will be educated. What they do not have is a right to taxpayer dollars to subsidize their private school choices. Nor is there an individual entitlement to the services funded via equitable participation. (Note – that’s services provided by public employees, for secular, neutral and nonreligious activities – not cash. See 1st Amendment for why.)
We (taxpayers) fund a system of public schools because we have determined that there is a common social benefit in providing this service. If you choose not to avail yourself of that service, that’s on you. Don’t reach into my pocket to fund your choice.
JustASC is written by Andrew Silow-Carroll, Editor-in-Chief of the 