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    Voucher Schools from Liberal and Conservative Perspectives


    Define liberalism and conservatism, and then explain how each philosophy defends its position regarding a contemporary controversial issue in education. For example, you might consider any one of the following issues: vouchers, charter schools, merit pay, teacher unions, standardized testing, teacher training, education funding, state control versus federal control, the teaching of values, etc.


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    Liberalism is the concept that each citizen is entitled to liberty and freedom of choice. All citizens are considered equal, regardless of their economic class, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation. Liberalism defends the freedom of speech, worship, expression, press, and private property. Government resources may be used for the welfare of individuals.

    Conservatism is a philosophy based on maintaining the traditional way of doing things. Long standing social norms are valued and the government has a role in encouraging or enforcing traditional values or behaviors. National defense is a priority, and individual citizens are expected to be fiscally responsible.

    The school voucher program allows parents to choose which school their children attend. Public schools are already fully funded by the government with U.S. tax dollars. If the parents choose a private school in the area, a "voucher" is given to the family which pays the cost of tuition at the ...

    Solution Summary

    This article defines liberalism and conservatism and looks at how each philosophy might defend its position regarding voucher schools.