Vouchers: Freedom, Equality in Conflict

Our country is committed to two cherished values: freedom and equality. At times, these ethics are in conflict. I believe that as a nation, the one grand gesture we make to equality is a commitment to public education. Public education is meant to assure an equality of opportunity. It is not a guarantee of wealth, security, happiness or success. It is an opportunity for students, through their own efforts and with parental support, to gain the skills necessary to achieve their own notions of wealth, security, happiness and success. We offer our citizens a generic education.

For those who wish other than a general education, whether its emphasis be on religion, art, the military, sports or a unique cultural position, private schools are an excellent alternative. People should have the right to choose any kind of education they wish for their children. However, I, as a taxpayer, do not wish to pay for it. The money allocated to maintain our public education system should be just that: for the public system. It is not an entitlement to families with children, to be spent like scrip at the institutions of their choice. I urge a no vote on Prop. 38.

JERILEE MALLEY

Long Beach

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After reading your Sept. 24 article on vouchers, I am puzzled. Even if nary a public school student opts to transfer to a private school, the state will give $4,000 per pupil to the current 650,000 pupils enrolled in private schools [phased in by 2004]. My calculations make that $2.6 billion, which will come out of the public education fund. My question is: How will that make public education better?

SANDRA SMITH

Yorba Linda