Basil, Tulsa (7/1/2009 11:12:21 AM)

Oklahomans definitely want vouchers! It's public funded schooling with choices--what a great idea! It encourages the same competition that our universities already have, which has helped make them worker harder to attract students.

The OEA and NEA are powerful lobbies against it, but we need some politicians with enough backbone to do what is right for children and their families. I have no faith in our current government schools, so I homeschool my four children.

tfromtulsa, Tulsa (6/30/2009 1:08:29 PM)

Oklahoma families DO want a voucher system.

Competition is good for education!

tfromtulsa, Tulsa (6/30/2009 1:58:51 PM)

hmmmmm - private corporations?

Do you mean "private schools", like the ones my kids already attend?

That is exactly what I deserve, since my kids get no benefit from the public school system.

tfromtulsa, Tulsa (6/30/2009 6:52:03 PM)

SraChavez - The article references private schools, not private schools for children with disabilities.

Many private schools already provide services to students with special needs in the regular classroom, just like public schools, but the class sizes are much smaller.

SraChavez, Tulsa (6/30/2009 2:10:31 PM)

I'm not so sure that I want my daughter in a private school for children with disabilities. I think exposure to all types of children her age is healthier than being seperated from society. Didn't the Hissom's of the world teach us anything? Little Light House is an excellent example of a great school for children with disabilities. But even that is only up to a certain age and shorter classes so there is plenty of time for other activities. They also some very specialized training that you cannot get in the public school system. But exposure to "normal" (and I use that lightly) children is a very needed learning experience.

Travis, Tahlequah (7/1/2009 6:49:51 AM)

It is the OEA that does not want vouchers. They are worried it would erode their power and that they might actually have to perform in order to keep students.

hmmmmmmm, (6/30/2009 1:33:58 PM)

tfromtulsa, if you want your tax dollars being funneled to private corporations without string attached, then a voucher system is exactly what you deserve.

trickledown, Park Hill (7/1/2009 8:25:18 PM)

I'm pretty sure the law passed in 1999 or 2000 that would allow children with disabilities so severe that if a local school district could not fund the care and "education" of the child that the Ok. State Dept. of Ed could finance the cost of sending the child to a private care facitlity.

It's on the books Senator.

For those of you who think that the OEA is the only one opposed to vouchers then think about this. What about all those low income parents who can't afford to send their kids to a private school? Should the state require that the privates open their doors to all children regardless of their ability to pay? Surely you wouldn't want Buffy or Reginald going to school with one of those?

trickledown, Park Hill (7/1/2009 8:33:16 PM)

Senator Ford should be the first to sign the Sally Kern Self-righteousness petition.
Only those who can afford to go to private schools now would benefit from a voucher program. "What you do to the least of these you do unto me". Sound familiar? Check the book of Matthew.

Man in Tulsa, (7/1/2009 12:23:12 PM)

Roy Biship must be pretty dumb, last time I checked Oklahoma was spending over $8,000 per student, so if we pay people $5,000 to let someone else teach their kids then won't the extra $3,000 be split amoung the rest of the kids, increasing the per pupil spending?

Atticus Finch, (6/30/2009 1:17:43 PM)

This nothing more than a scheme to get special needs students out of the public schools in order to improve tests scores. NCLB is punitive rather than supportive and republicans know this. Rather than admit that NCLB has failed, they are looking for ways to create loopholes in order to give the facade that schools are better.