Blacks in Racine Should Seek School Vouchers

A meeting is scheduled for Saturday to discuss the issues facing blacks in Racine. Among the issues to be discussed is the public school system and the disproportionate failure rate among black students.

The greatest problem facing Racine in general and blacks in particular is the quality, or lack thereof, of public education. So far, the most outspoken leaders in the black community focus their efforts on improving the public school system, invariably through referendum support and desegregation efforts.

Perhaps it is time they rethink this strategy and focus their efforts on escaping the public school system. To do so would not be easy. Blacks would have to reconsider their support for the Democratic party and unionism, both of which would vigorously oppose the movement to free black students from failing schools.

On this issue at least, blacks are inexplicably aligned with a political party that opposes the only education reform that has actually helped black students. The black parents in Milwaukee are happy with school vouchers. Blacks in Racine would be as well.