Freedom of choice can only make it better

Although acknowledging that not all agree on the academic benefits of vouchers, the Manhattan paper concludes that parental choice leads to improved academic standards, especially for disadvantaged children, and that there is some evidence that competition and fear of losing students forces government schools to improve.

One argument put forward in Australia against vouchers is that if more students attended non-government schools there would be increased social instability and a loss of social capital. The US research proves otherwise.

Based on several surveys evaluating tolerance, the Manhattan paper concludes, "Rather than being the bastions of intolerance they are sometimes imagined to be, private schools appear to be more successful than public schools at instilling tolerance in their students." Studies of inner-urban black communities also show that school choice increases parental involvement in education.

One of the defining characteristics of an open and free society is the belief that individuals should be allowed to choose. It's ironic that those on the cultural Left - often the most vocal about empowerment and local decision-making - are the ones most hostile to parental choice when it comes to schools.