Congress Fails Students in Failing Schools

School is getting out, or is already out, in most places, but not Chicago, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., among other cities. More than half of Chicago's 430,000 public school students must attend summer school this year before they can be promoted. About 245,000 students failed to score high enough on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.

Last week, Baltimore officials said nearly a third of public school students had been asked to go to summer school. And the week before that, it was announced that about half of Washington, D.C. public school students would be spending part of their summer in class.

All of this comes as Congress has just refused to approve vouchers so parents and students could escape these failing schools. Yes, I know, it isn't all the school's fault, but politicians who are beholden to the teachers unions keep throwing good money at a bad problem. School choice would at least give the kids a better chance, which they do not have now.