Schould school vouchers be constitutional?

Running head : Constitutionality of Vouchers

Constitutionality of Voucher Program

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Abstract

Recently the constitutional provision on separation of church and state has been challenged by virtue of the voucher program . Both sides were extensively defending their cause but with the recent decision of the Supreme Court , the program has been settled to be constitutional . This will present the principles used to defend each sides . It will also support the argument that it is constitutional

Constitutionality of Voucher Program

Part I

Centuries ago

, several laws and policies were challenged as violative of the principles set in the Constitution . Almost all the provisions were used to uphold the laws that have been adhered to for a very long time . The principle of church and state for example , was used many times to put a gap between the religious and governmental policies . At present , the new educational system of vouchers ' is being challenged for its constitutionality . Primarily , vouchers were introduced as a form of decentralizing government support to the education of children especially the underprivileged . However , it has been recently challenged because vouchers are being used in religious schools . For this reason this will settle the constitutionality of the voucher system

Part II

The idea of vouchers was introduced in 1950 's by Milton Friedman to decentralize the educational privilege for the students (Hughes , 2005 The vouchers are usually in the form of certificate given by the state government to parents for their children 's education . The amount of the vouchers was sourced out from the tax dollars earned (Hughes , 2005 . The use of vouchers was also allowed to be used in private schools and left to the parents ' discretion . This was eventually adopted by several states , and both public and private school participated . The voucher system was also rooted from several educational reforms and reluctance of parents to enroll their children in public schools . Disputes even arose several times when parents and school administrators altercate when parents chooses to transfer their children in private schools . An example is the case of Pierce v . Society of Sisters wherein the Court invalidated the Compulsory Education Act of 1922 , which requires students from ages 8-16 be enrolled in public schools , because it violates the parent 's liberty to choose the education provider of their children (268 U .S . 510 . The principle was reiterated in Barrow v Greenville (332 F . 3d 844 ,846 ) in which the court held that parents have been bestowed with constitutional right to have their children be educated in private schools . For these reasons , the voucher system was adopted to put the money on parents , who will then select the schools to enroll their children , rather than directly putting in public schools but not fully utilized and enjoyed by the students (Walsh et . al 2005 . In addition , the voucher system was adopted on the theory that it would create healthy competition among public and private schools because schools would tend to improve their educational system to win...