the idea of school voucher keeps gathering momentum, but the Bend La Pine Schools Superintendent says vouchers could pose a big threat to public schools.
Supt. Ron Wilkinson says most school are dealing with very tight budgets, and many are worried this crisis could be worse lots of people left to put their kids in private schools.
Those in favor of voucers or other tax credits say that both public and private schools could benefit from increased competition. But Wilkinson says they don't have the luxury of keeping some kids out of their classrooms.
"IT'S A GOOD POLITICAL DISCUSSION - I THINK THE CHALLENGE THAT WE SEE IS THAT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS THE ONLY PLACE THAT HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SERVING ALL - WE GET THE KIDS WHO COME THROUGH THE DOOR- IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY'VE BEEN FED - WHETHER THEY'VE BEEN WASHED- WHETHER THEY'RE SMART OR WHETHER THEY ARE CHALLENGED, BUT WE GET THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SERVING THEM."
Ron Wilkinson just returned from a national convention in Washington D.C. of the top school superintendents across the country. He was "Supintendent of the Year for 2012 in Oregon" and says McMinnville's Superintendent Maryalice Russell in McMinnville is the award winner for 2013.
