[Kevin]

This is a great program. As someone who generally speaking does not believe in new government programs, I think this is a great idea.

Here in Oklahoma, we have some amazing wastes of public money on schools. For example, in the vast majority of school districts, the superintendant is over only ONE school! We have over 500 school districts in this state. Superintendants draw 6 figure salaries and also have a staff that supports them.

That's just one example of how our tax dollars are in many cases wasted here. In Oklahoma, our teacher pay ranks either 49th or 50th in the US (can't remember which). Some of our school districts are failing. The Oklahoma City Public Schools are a nightmare. They are indeed segregated -- very few white kids attend these schools. Another problem is that in recent past, a bill was passed (a one-penny sales tax) that was supposed to refurbish our OKC schools. Politicians decided that instead, they were going to use a large chunk of that money to build a Bass Pro Shops store (yes, public money). Well, at least there's a place where our illiterate graduates can get $7.00/hr jobs.

Essentially, anyone who can afford it has their kids in a private or catholic school -- I drove 30-45 minutes two ways every day to attend a Catholic School because my parents are fairly well-to-do. I was lucky. Unfortunately, many of these kids are not so lucky -- most of them minorities.

Probably the most ironic thing about this is politically speaking the Dems are considered to be the "Party of minorities". In this instance, I think they are just taking the minority votes for granted. This is something that could *REALLY* help to level the playing field when it comes to being socioeconomically deprived and stuck in a bad educational system. The Dems were forced to choose between their constituents, the NEA (which donates $) and minorities, which I'm inferring either don't mean as much financially, or they are just being taken for granted.

Much of what I hear from minorities as far as complaints about inequality sound like whining. However, when it comes to schools, if a kid wants to have a good education, they should be afforded that opportunity! To stick them in a failing school and let them wither on the vine is cruel, unfair and sick. If they and their parents want to choose to use those vouchers to attend a religious school, fine. Catholic schools (and others) offer pretty damned good educations.