Like a lot of places around the country, the fight over education reform is a big topic in Michigan. We’ve already got an ongoing charter school system set up and a ballot initiative to allow parents in the 7 worst school districts in the state to use vouchers will be voted on tomorrow (and probably lose big time if the polls are any indication).
There are politicians on both sides of the argument, obviously, but a Democratic candidate for the Michigan House of Representatives makes me wonder if he even understands the point of the debate. A very nicely done color brochure from Alexander Lipsey’s campaign tells me that he favors quality education saying,
The competition between the charter school system and the public schools has not improved education; it has created a fierce competition for funds. Vouchers will not improve this situation.
I will fight to assure our children will receive a quality educational experience of our choosing, not the government’s.
Huh? School choice is bad and divisive and Lipsey opposes it, but it’s also a very good thing and he supports it? Maybe he’s just trying to be all things to all people, but I suspect that he’s probably got some of the geniuses who go through the local public high school (where 40 percent of students can’t read at their grade level) to do his campaign brochures.