Public School Failure

Public School Failure

I receive a lot of mail when I write about the failure of government schools. But here's more evidence.

The Philadelphia Public School System has voted to transfer 42 failing city schools to seven outside managers. It is believed to be the largest experiment in privatization by an American school district.

This reminds me of efforts to "improve" communism. The monopolistic education system is just as broken. It can only be improved by competition, which means parental choice and vouchers.

According to a Gallup Poll, 66 percent of Americans could correctly name Regis Philbin as the host of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" but just 6 percent could name Dennis Hastert as the Speaker of the House. Fifty nine percent of those questioned believe the president, not Congress, has the power to declare war. Asked on a recent broadcast of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" who was president during the Civil War, a young woman said, "Reagan?" Let's fix this ignorance with education choice.

I'm Cal Thomas in Washington.

Public School Failure