William Phillis: Betty Montgomery on privatization of education

To: Superintendents, Principals, Treasurers and other interested persons

From: William L. Phillis

Re: Candidate Montgomery on privatization of education

Date: December 9, 2005

"Choice", when applied to public education, is usually the buzzword for privatization of public education. Some candidates for Governor are attempting to out-"choice" each other. According to the December 8 issue of Gongwer News Service, State Auditor Betty Montgomery said that one of her gubernatorial campaign planks would include a new K-16 school "choice" program. In a speech to the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Candidate Montgomery said, "I'm not just talking about charter schools in the K-12 arena. I'm talking about giving families real choice when it comes to the entire education continuum. I'm talking about tuition dollars that follow students to the schools of their choice from kindergarten through college."

This approach to the provision for education is antithetical to the public common school system. The common good, in this approach, is surrendered solely to the individual benefit-to the market forces where winners and loser abound.

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