Statement of NEA President Bob Chase on the U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Private School Tuition Vouchers

6/27/2002

From: NEA Communications, 202-822-7200, Kathleen Lyons, 202-669-6902 (cell) Michael Pons, 202-550-9428 (cell), Darryl Lynette Figueroa, 202-288-6320 (cell)

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Following is a statement by Bob Chase, president, National Education Association, on the U.S. Supreme Court decision on private school tuition vouchers:

"The National Education Association pledges to continue to fight for children and public education -- and oppose divisive and counterproductive proposals to divert energy, attention, and resources to private school tuition vouchers, despite the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, the Cleveland private school voucher case. Just because vouchers may be legal in some circumstances doesn't make them a good idea.

"The record is clear that American public schools have improved dramatically -- and are continuing to change. Reading and math scores on the National Assessment of Education Progress have increased steadily since 1992, the proportion of high school graduates with a bachelor's degree has grown, and more students are taking advanced math and science and other core academic courses. (See "Good News About Our Public Schools" at http://www.nea.org/publiced/goodnews.)

"Vouchers are a divisive and expensive diversion from continuing progress in these areas.

"Make no mistake, vouchers are not reform. If policymakers want to act on the issues that parents care most about -- the kitchen table discussions about education opportunity for their children -- they will address teacher quality, class size, making sure all schools have high expectations for every child, and providing the resources to help students succeed.

"When voters have had an opportunity to choose, they have defeated vouchers by two to one. At least 26 state legislatures have rejected voucher proposals -- some of them several times. Last year, at least eight states rejected legislative proposals for vouchers, and several more rejected voucher-like tuition tax credits or tax credits or deductions for scholarships.

"Moreover, a 1992 Congressional Research Service report found that aid to sectarian schools is, at a minimum, uncertain in all but 12 states and explicitly prohibited in at least six states.

"We will continue to fight for public schools and against vouchers -- or related schemes to provide public funds to private and religious schools - at the ballot box, in state legislatures, and in state courts. We will continue this fight in allegiance with the vast majority of American parents who want good schools in their communities. And we will continue this fight with the best interests of children foremost in our minds.

"The NEA is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, college faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers."

Contact: NEA Communications, 202-822-7200; Kathleen Lyons, 202-669-6902 (cell), e-mail: klyons@nea.org; Michael Pons, 202-550-9428 (cell), e-mail: mpons@nea.org; Darryl Lynette Figueroa, 202-288-6320 (cell), e-mail: dfigueroa@nea.org