A new Gallup poll shows that a majority of Americans do not support school voucher programs.
The poll, conducted by PDK/Gallup and based on 1,001 phone interviews, shows that 70% of Americans do not support voucher programs [PDF] that allow state funds to be used for private or religiously-affiliated charter schools. It is the highest opposition the study has found to voucher programs to date, and reflects a sharp increase from opposition recorded last year (in 2012, 55% of respondents opposed voucher programs).
Despite public opposition, conservative lawmakers continue to propose voucher programs. Virginia gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli openly supports directing state funding to religiously-affiliated schools and creating a voucher program as part of his education platform.
“The American people want a well-funded public school system that benefits all, not a patchwork of unaccountable private schools that cater to a few,” said Maggie Garret, co-chair of the National Coalition for Public Education, in a recent press release [PDF.] “The taxpayer-funded school voucher experiment has been tried and failed. It’s time to put the emphasis back on public education.”
Media Resources: PDK/Gallup 8/21/2013; National Coalition for Public Education 8/21/2013; Feminist Newswire 8/15/2013
