The
Bush reforms
-------------------------------------
At
the time of the presidential campaign, one of the subjects
which aroused most enthusiasm and controversy on behalf
of the whole American population, for sure was the education
reforms. Indeed, if each of both candidates made it
his hobbyhorse, the 43 third president of the United
States went farther particularly, by proposing in his
program, a radical revision of the whole state education.
Thus, one of the main measures which George W. Bush
should take within the framework of his plan on the
education, concerns the famous system of " Vouchers
".
This
system consists, in the granting of "education-checks
", allowing those pupils of the state education in situation
of academic failure, to be able to eneter private schools.
These checks take the shape of a federal help amounting
to approximately 1.500 dollars per year and should allow
dissatisfied parents to register their children in private
schools. The purpose of such a reform, would be to allow
the most destitutes to be able to choose between a private,
public or a distance education (education which is normally
"forbidden" for them, because of its high cost), and
allow them to reach a quality education despite any
financial consideration.
But
there is however a risk; indeed, the Voucher system
can contribute to make private schools even more elitist
and consequently more inaccessible to the poorest classes.
The other reform defended by the Bush administration,
aims at the institution of evaluation tests which would
be in accordance with a national standard, while strengthening
the autonomy of local authorities. This reform, also
supported by the Democrats, with at its head the former
democratic candidate for the vice-presidency, Joe Lieberman,
aims at "giving responsibilities" to schools for the
results obtained by their students.
On
the other hand, this measure would have as a consequence
to give local authorities, the power to control the
federal financing granted in education.
This second reform seems to be convenient for the two
parties, although the democrats seem more in favour
of a rehabilitation of the state education. Thus, they
emphasize the enormous existing disparity between the
students stemming from ethnic minorities and that they
will need to get down to fill the gap between public
and private sector. Indeed, the number of "disappointed"
of the public keeps on increasing in a country where
the educational system is very decentralized and in
which prevails disparity in the field of education.
The implementation of these reforms is impatiently waited
by the whole American population, and even if they do
not constitute a "miracle cure", they will have at least
the merit to work at bridging the existing gap between
two types of education, namely, private and public education.
