LEWISBURG - If Cindy O'Hora were a parent, she would never want to force her child to attend a failing school.
"If I brought my child to the door of the school and I saw the school was on fire, there would be no way I would force that child into the school. In the Commonwealth, there are over 100 schools failing and we force children to attend those schools," said the Shamokin Dam women Tuesday night at a town hall meeting concerning school vouchers at the Lewisburg Area High School.
Hers was one statement among many questions to Nathan A. Benefield, director of policy research for the Commonwealth Foundation, and the Rev. Joseph Watkins, chairman of Students First PA. The meeting, attended by less than 25 people, was hosted by the Union County Republican Committee.
Originally, Sen. Anthony Williams, a lifelong resident of West Philadelphia, was set to speak about Senate Bill 1, a bill he, along with Sen. Jeff Piccola, co-authored to provide education options for students imprisoned in failing public schools, but he was ill and could not attend.
No one in Harrisburg or Washington, D.C., or elsewhere cares more about children than parents, said Benefield, "So why leave the decision to anyone else?
"With work and determination, we want everybody to have a shot to make a contribution to society," said Watkins. "We believe the choice for your children's education should be in your hands."
In March, the bill, the Opportunity Scholarship and Educational Improvement Tax Credit Act, was approved by the Senate Education Committee and must gain approval in the House and full Senate.
The legislation would offer vouchers or scholarships to low-income students in 144 failing public schools during the first year. Most of these schools are in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. The Education Improvement Tax Credit program, which would be increased under the bill from $75 million to $100 million next year, gives companies the opportunity to donate to scholarship organizations as part of what they would pay the state in taxes.
In the first two years, the failing school districts will be addressed. In year three, vouchers for low income students will expand to include all state public school districts. It will allow parents to send their children to the school of their choice, public or private.
Opponents of the bill, who did not speak out at the meeting, often say that students don't benefit or learn better because of switching schools, that it hurts public schools in the long run, that it costs too much money and that the best children will exit the district, leaving the failing students behind.
Benefield addressed these concerns, saying that studies show that graduation rates and test scores are up in districts around the nation that have school vouchers. He also said that studies show that public schools fair better with competition, that vouchers costs one-third less to fund compared to the average $13,000 per public school student and the vouchers statistics show it helps the most needed.
Watkins described how he was given a school choice as a child between a failing inner city school and a private institution, and it made all the difference. He said he was proud not to end up a statistic since a large majority of drop outs and failing school students end in prison.
The men also stated that no matter which district is failing, it affects every district in the state. The average incarceration fee for an inmate per year is $30,000. A voucher for a child would cost $5,000.
"I want to see that stop. I want to see every child have the same opportunity I had," he said.
He said everyone wins if public schools work harder to keep students in the district.
"It can't afford to stay the same," he said.