Ed secretary is afraid of competition in the schools

Thursday, March 7, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

It's pretty sad if the public school administrators feel their own system can be put in ruins by simply providing parents more choice to decide which educational programs are best for their children.

Does Riley really fear that all parents will immediately rush out of their "horrible" public school because their children can now attend private schools? That is totally ridiculous, since many successful programs do exist within the education system -- just as there are many which are not successful.

Or does he mean that, with choice, parents will be able to find a better program for students who are doing poorly and disrupting everyone's education, so the public system will not be able to insist money is the only answer to our education woes? Riley's statement that "Private school vouchers offer no accountability" couldn't be further from the truth.

What better system exists to ensure accountability to parents that their money is being spent wisely? Doesn't he know that the parents who work hard to pay double for their children's education do so because they feel their child is getting the education that is needed? If not, the parent leaves. Can the public school parent leave if the public school is not doing a proper job with their particular child? What is Riley afraid of? Competition?

Maria J.P. Cardle,

president, Alliance for

Children's Educational Excellence