Principals' Union President Condemns High Court Ruling on Vouchers

6/27/2002

From: Diane Landry King of AFSA, 240-988-9098

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Dr. Joe L. Greene, national president of the American Federation of School Administrators (AFSA), AFL-CIO, a national education labor organization representing public school principals, administrators, and supervisors has the following reaction to today's U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of the Cleveland private school voucher arrangement, Zelman v. Simmons-Harris:

"We are deeply disappointed that our nation's highest court ruled in favor of vouchers in the Cleveland case. By doing so, it missed a great opportunity to strengthen our public school systems. With this decision, the court sends a message to America's youth that their education is not a top priority of their government.

"Because the research shows that the public doesn't support vouchers, we don't expect this controversial, split decision not to greatly increase the spread of vouchers. While the ruling does eliminate the federal constitutional argument of conflict of church and state, it is likely to conflict with various state laws.

"AFSA is opposed to vouchers because there is no convincing evidence that they succeed in improving student performance. Vouchers are destructive to our country's public schools.

"Many of our schools in large, urban areas are badly in need of funding for the most fundamental tools for learning that students in more affluent areas already enjoy. Vouchers divert taxpayer monies from public schools to private schools. At a time when so many of our schools are in need, we must not cut public school funding. Rather, we should ensure that spending for public education continues and grows so that no child, no matter his or her race, religion or socio-economic status, will be left behind.

"American tax dollars should continue to go to public schools, not the private sector. Plain and simple, vouchers are taxpayer-subsidized privatization of public education. Public schools are accountable to the citizens they serve and subject to the laws of the land. Private schools are accountable to no one and are not subject to the same laws as public schools.

"This is a sad day for public education in our country and for America's schoolchildren. Today our highest judicial body said 'No' to quality, free public school education, and 'Yes' to privatizing our children's education with vouchers."

President Greene is a former high school principal and mathematics teacher. AFSA advocates for quality public school education and represents public school principals, assistant principals, administrators, and supervisors throughout the United States and U.S. Virgin Islands.