Feinstein on Vouchers

Lance Izumi from the Pacific Research Institute has a good piece on what Feinstein backing vouchers means for the teachers' unions and public school monopoly.

Do you hear that cracking noise? That's the government-school monopoly dam about to burst.

Up until now, the teachers unions have plugged the holes in the dike using threats and money to make sure lawmakers, especially Democrats, oppose school-choice vouchers. U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, however, has just joined a growing number of Democratic elected officials who not only refuse to strengthen the dam but want to tear it down.

In a recent Washington Post op-ed, Sen. Feinstein came out in favor of federally funded vouchers for students in Washington, D.C. Congress has the unique opportunity to implement vouchers in the nation's capital since the federal government provides funds for the city's schools. Thus, according to the proposal before Congress, low-income D.C. students would be eligible for a $7,500 scholarship to pay for tuition, fees and transportation to any D.C. private school. Although D.C.'s Democratic mayor, Anthony Williams, caused a stir when he recently came out for vouchers, the teachers unions have portrayed his support as a self-interested political ploy to get more money for the city's schools.

Feinstein is different. She doesn't have anything to gain by supporting vouchers in D.C. Further, her reputation as a thoughtful centrist-leaning Democrat could swing others in her party to rethink their knee-jerk positions and eventually support school choice.

Edison Goes Private

Critics may hail this as proof of the failure of free-market K-12 education. What it really proves is the resiliency of companies to change their business model quickly to best serve the goal of educating children. We have the Oakland schools model of getting a $100 million government bailout when the going gets rough or the Edison model of scaling back spending and going private when the going gets rough. Guess which model most of the world (including the media and the public school establishment) view as a success.

Edison has signed a merger agreement - with a new company formed by the management team and our new equity partner, Liberty Partners. - in order to take steps toward becoming a privately held company. This agreement was signed with unanimous approval of both a special committee of independent directors and Edison’s Board of Directors. Edison anticipates filing proxy materials promptly with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a special meeting and vote of shareholders this fall on this proposed merger.

Essentially, “going private” means that a company’s shares are no longer publicly traded on the stock market, but are purchased and held privately by a small number of owners. Edison was a privately owned company for many years before its initial public offering (IPO) in November of 1999 and subsequent listing on NASDAQ, so if the merger is approved by its shareholders, the company would effectively become like it was before it went public.

Teachers Packing Heat

John Lott controversies aside, the Los Angeles Times prints a John Lott opinion piece on teachers and administrators who carry concealed weapons in school.

Banning guns from schools seems the obvious way to keep children safe. Utah, though, is doing the opposite, and is stirring up debate across the nation.

Acting under a new state law, school districts across Utah have started drawing up regulations allowing teachers and other public employees to carry concealed guns on school property. Opponents are still trying to fight the law, and at first glance their concern about firearms in schools is understandable. Last Sunday in New Jersey, an attack by armed teenagers against three fellow students and randomly chosen townspeople was narrowly averted. . . .

Contrary to many people's impressions, before the federal law was enacted in 1995 it was possible for teachers and other adults with concealed-handgun permits to carry guns on school property in many states.

Many of the concerns about accidents and other problems are unwarranted. The real problems at schools occurred only after the ban. The rash of student shootings at schools began in October 1997 in Pearl, Miss.

Back from Maui

I have finally caught up enough from my vacation to begin blogging. It's a good thing that Hawaii is so far from everywhere else. I can never get over how uncrowded beaches, restaurants, and the roads are compared to CA. I've got to get Reason to extend their virtual office policy to Hawaii.