Quote:And people without kids would just like to opt out of paying for public school so they can use their money on paying for whatever they want.


Guess we'd have a really hard time funding public schools then, huh?  


Why should you get to avoid paying for public schools you don't use, but those without kids don't?  


The public education system isn't nearly as bad as you make it out to be.  And I'd never send my kids to a religious brainwashing institute personally.

 

Nobody is forcing you to send your kids anywhere.  That's the beauty of America.  But, to say the public education system isn't nearly as bad as it's been made out to be is pretty subjective.  One only needs to look at where we rank in education against every other nation on the planet.  We spend more per capita on education than any other country, and the country is ranked 28th. 

 

You may not like the idea of giving people tax credits to send kids to the school of their choice, but the results of public vs. private education, and how the students stack up against each other make it clear that the current system is broken.  It's a bloated, top heavy system that is more focused on teaching to a test than it is in teaching kids skills that will matter in life.  There's zero critical thinking going on in public education today because there's simply not time. 

 

A good voucher system would force the government indoctrination centers into competing with private schools to get those education dollars.  By forcing them to compete, the kids win, not the teacher unions or bureaucracy at the government level.  Education should always be about the kids and what's best for them, but that's absolutely not the case with the current structure. Your beloved tax dollars would still be collected from all.  It'll just be used more efficiently than the current structure. 

 

Those religious brainwashing institutes (and other private schools that have nothing to do with religious affiliation) you're taunting are lapping public education facilities around the country, and they're doing it for less money per student than what your tax dollars are funding.  If you're satisfied with the current state of affairs in education, more power to you.  We're spending, on average, about $10,600 per student in the public school systems in this country as of 2014.  There are parochial schools who are getting national recognition for quality education who are providing a better education for thousands less per student.  There are 2 national blue ribbon schools (a designation that comes directly from the department of education in DC) that are private.  One is parochial, and one is simply a private school.  Both provide tuition levels that are significantly less per student than what we're paying on average nationally. 

 

Quote:I would be curious to have a look at your findings.

 

Ditto.

 

Quote:Would you (anyone) classify buying tobacco or alcohol with food stamps as abuse?

 

Yes.

 

This is directly from DCF's handbook for the state of Florida, and this is pretty much standard in all 57 states.

 

Quote:Foods You Can Buy With Food Assistance Benefits


Households can use food assistance benefits to buy:

• Breads and cereals

• Fruits and vegetables

• Meats, fish, and poultry

• Dairy products and

• Seeds and plants to grow and produce food for the household to eat


Households cannot use food assistance benefits to buy:

• Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, or tobacco

• Pet food, soaps, paper products, or household supplies

• Vitamins and other medicines

• Food that will be eaten in the store and

• Hot foods


Stores are not allowed to give cash to individuals who receive food assistance benefits, for the return of empty bottles and cans that contained food purchased with food assistance benefits.

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