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Eddie Kennison

Eddie Kennison credits the high standards of English teacher Jacquelyn Stevens for taking him out of his comfort zone and into a life of success. “It didn't take us long to realize that if we didn't want to do an assignment over and over, we'd better just do it right the first time,” the Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver recalls. “I began to focus my attention on becoming the best I could be at everything."
"I love what I do," enthuses Mrs. Stevens. "When I raise the bar, my students reach up and grab it.” Behind every famous person is a fabulous teacher.

School Voucher Programs

New York, March 26, 2008—Publicly funded school vouchers can be redeemed by parents for private school tuition if they prefer to send their children to private school rather than public school. The practice of offering school vouchers to parents is very controversial, but voucher programs are nonetheless in place in several states.  In an online poll that took place in January through March, 2008, visitors to TeachersCount.org were asked their opinion of school voucher programs.

A total of 191 people responded, 128 of whom described themselves as educators.  Overall, 55.5% said they were very much or somewhat against school voucher programs, while 40.9% said they were very much or somewhat in favor of them.  Another 3.7% were undecided or neutral on the subject.

Educators and non-educators differed sharply in their responses.  Amongst educators, 60.2% said they were very much against school voucher programs, and another 15.9% said they were somewhat against the programs.  Only 28.1% of educators said they were very much or somewhat in favor of school voucher programs.

Amongst non-educators, the opposite trend emerged.  52.4% said they were very much in favor of school voucher programs, and an additional 14.3% said they were somewhat in favor of them.  In sharp contrast to the educators, only 12.7% of non-educators said they were very much against the programs.  Another 15.9% said they were somewhat against them.

The poll invited respondents to comment, and many of them did. Below is a sampling of comments arranged by response.

“I am very much against school voucher programs.” – 44.5%
  • “A free public education is at the heart and soul of this country's historical greatness. Help improve public schools; don't destroy them by channeling public money into private schools.”
  •  “I have taught in the south Bronx and I fully understand the need for parental choice in schools. School vouchers, however, would do very little to help the average household in the inner cities where these choices are needed most. Vouchers are not the way to fix the problems of public education.”
  • “I see nothing but trouble when one speaks of any steps, however minimal, towards privatization of education in this country”
“I am very much in favor of school voucher programs.” – 30.9%
  • “Competition is the basis for success. Every parent should be able to send their child to a successful school.”
  • “Vouchers and other school choice programs (such as open enrollment) allow parents to vote with their feet. Schools should be open to competition just like the rest of our society. Only when the government/union monopoly on education is broken will the end product improve.”
“I am somewhat against school voucher programs.” – 11.0%
  • “As a taxpayer, I feel uncomfortable paying for some students to receive religious education (regardless of what religion).”
  • “I would be for school vouchers if it could be guaranteed that they would not come at the expense of funding for city school systems.”
“I am somewhat in favor of school voucher programs.” – 9.95%
  • “We have experienced both excellence and complete lack thereof in elementary schools for our son. We sold our home of many years and moved away from a community we loved because the school was terrible. Our new school is terrific! Too bad we had to give up our home, community and close friends, not to mention taking a huge loss on our home because of the bad school, but it was worth it. If a voucher system was in place, we could have made a different choice for our family. So, I am in favor of vouchers, but only if it doesn't hurt funding for great schools like the one we have now.”