THERE is where your Liberal comes out...This charter and private school system will make people more accountable for their choice's, it is not simply chosen for them. Parent's and their child will not willingly go to a bad school if they know they have a choice. Why do you think there is a lot of protest in poor african american communities on their education?
Some parents and community members protest in those neighborhoods. Unfortunately, they aren't the ones whose children are the primary failing students in the education system. It's the parents who don't protest, who are in jail, on drugs, etc. with kids who primarily fail in school.
The parent's and the child have a personal responsibility to desire quality education. If you do not demand it, you will fail in the real world.
That is my point. And this is where your callousness and true concerns come out (I would say your Conservative comes out, but that would be stereotyping and a lot of conservatives aren't like you).
My priority is to improve the education system so that every child will receive a quality education. Parental involvement is a huge factor in providing quality education.
Unfortunately, children in poor neighborhoods born to uninvolved parents don't have a good chance of succeeding in school and life. So it's callous to say "if you don't demand it, you will fail in the real world" because you're saying that to children who were born into a situation that all but promises them failure. Maybe it's "Liberal" of me, but I have a desire make sure these kids have an education that serves their unique needs as well and not just leave them up to social darwinism.
Many of their parents won't demand quality and so the same kids who are failing in the current system will continue to fail under yours....but it appears that your less worried about actually fixing the entire education system and more worried about making sure a few kids who got the right parents and the right vouchers get to join the privileged.
I, on the other hand, want kids with uninvolved parents (who won't "demand it" and who will "fail") to have the same shot at a good education as kids with involved parents. The problem is, many public schools have not tailored their programs to the needs of such kids (more literacy coaches, more tutors, etc.). The ones that have, have improved education in low-income public schools. We need to learn from them.