Martin Friedman introduced a taxpayer-supported voucher system in 1954. The idea did not really take flight until the 1960s when they were desegregating schools. They now saw vouchers as a terrific way for white parents to separate their children from blacks and other minorities. Vouchers were meant to deprive equal opportunity to all. Private schools are under no control of the government. They do not require that they provide all of the nationÆ' s children an equal opportunity to education. Vouchers are also an incredibly a foolish economic investment, one which could cost taxpayers billions of dollars each year. Montana should not pass a law authorizing the distribution of public funds as vouchers to parents who wish to send their children to private or parochial schools. .
Private schools can accept the governmentÆ' s money in vouchers, yet they do not have to reform their admittance practices. Organizations that receive funding from the government must then conform to government standards. For example, the Boy Scouts of America did not want a homosexual troop leader. Although they are a private organization, they use the countryÆ' s parks and forest lands free of any charges, forcing them to allow the leader to continue his post. The Boy Scouts then decided to pay a fee rather than receive anything free from the government so they would not have to alter their hiring standards. Private schools are very similar. They can discriminate based on gender, language, religion, the familyÆ' s socioeconomic status, and academic and physical ability. The average religious school rejects two of every three children who apply. Also, we do not require that private schools meet any set of teaching credentials, academic standards, or financial audits. A voucher program in Montana would definitely lead to discriminating the stateÆ' s children on the basis of both financial income and race.
