• Accessibility Tools
  • Action Headquarters
  • Media Center
    • Press Releases
    • Press Kit
    • All News

American Humanist Association

Advocating progressive values and equality for humanists, atheists, and freethinkers

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • About
    • About

      For over 80 years, the AHA has proudly served as the leading progressive voice in America on behalf of humanists, atheists, agnostics, and freethinkers.

      Learn More
    • Our Mission
    • Our History
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Jobs & Internships
    • Financial Info and Reports
    • Contact Us
  • Are You Humanist?
    • Are You Humanist?

      Guided by reason, inspired by compassion, and informed by experience.

      Learn More
    • Definition of Humanism
    • Humanism and Its Aspirations
    • Humanist of the Year Award
    • Famous Humanists in History
  • Key Issues
    • Key Issues

      We are committed to building an inclusive America grounded in an embrace of reason, ethics, scientific inquiry, and compassion- rather than religious dogma.

      Learn More
    • Defending Nontheists and Promoting Humanism
    • Religion and Government Separation
    • Social Justice
    • Scientific Integrity
    • Promoting Peace
    • Resolutions and Statements
  • What We Do
    • What We Do

      We work tirelessly in courts, legislatures, and communities to defend civil liberties, secular governance, and scientific integrity.

      Learn More
    • Legal
    • Legislative
    • Education Center
    • Local Groups
    • Programs and Adjuncts
    • Publications
    • AHA at the Supreme Court
    • National Day of Reason
    • Boycott the Pledge Campaign
    • Humanist Disaster Recovery
    • Speakers Bureau
    • Humanism for All Prisoners’ Project
  • Get Involved
    • Get Involved

      Ready for change? Join our network and be the first to take action. Get the resources and tools you need to make a real difference.

      Learn More
    • Humanist Action Headquarters
    • Report a Violation or Discrimination
    • Find a Local AHA Chapter
    • Become a Humanist Celebrant
    • Events and Conferences
    • Grants and Programs
    • Resources
  • Ways to Give
    • Ways to Give

      Through winning lawsuits, active lobbying, and effective media campaigns, your contribution can go a long way.

      Learn More
    • Join
    • Renew
    • Donate
    • Online-Only Membership
    • Leave a Bequest
    • IRA Rollover Gifts
    • Other Ways to Give
  • Media Center
  • Take Action
March 22, 2013 News

AHA Signs Coalition Letter Opposing Private School Voucher or Tuition Tax Credit Program Amendments

Facebook Twitter Email Share
March 22, 2013 News

As a member of the National Coalition for Public Education, the American Humanist Association has signed a letter opposing any amendments to the Fiscal 2014 Senate Budget Resolution (S. Con Res. 8) that would create a private school voucher or tuition tax credit program. Read the letter below or as a PDF here.

March 22, 2013

Re: Oppose Any Amendment to S. Con. Res 8 that Would Create a Private School Voucher Program

Dear Senator:

The undersigned members of the National Coalition for Public Education (NCPE) write to express our strong opposition to any amendments to the Fiscal 2014 Senate Budget Resolution (S. Con Res. 8) that would create a private school voucher or tuition tax credit program. Rather than providing equal access to high quality education, setting high standards and ensuring accountability for all students, these programs have proven ineffective, lack accountability to taxpayers, deprive students of rights provided to public school students, and threaten religious liberty.

At a time when Congress is attempting to reduce spending, it is poor public policy to funnel taxpayer funds away from public schools and toward private schools. Voucher and tuition tax credit programs would divert desperately-needed resources away from the public school system to fund the education of a few, select voucher students while ignoring overall student academic achievement. Indeed, according to multiple studies of the District of Columbia, Milwaukee, and Cleveland school voucher programs, students offered vouchers do not perform better in reading and math compared to students in public schools 1 Voucher programs targeted to students with disabilities are especially troubling, as they impose obstacles that prevent these students from receiving the special services that they need, while simultaneously removing essential public funds that would address the needs of all students with disabilities. Congress would better serve ALL children by directing funds to make public schools stronger and safer instead of creating a new voucher or tuition tax credit program.

1 See e.g., Legislative Audit Bureau, Test Score Data for Pupils in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (Report 4 of 5), 17 (Aug. 2011); U.S. Dep’t of Ed., Evaluation of the D.C. Scholarship Program: Final Report (June 2010); Witte, Wolf, et al., MPCP Longitudinal Educational Growth Study Third Year Report (Apr. 2010); Plucker, et al., Evaluation of the Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Program, Summary Report 1998-2004 (Feb. 2006).

Voucher and tuition tax credits support schools that are not bound by the open and non-discriminatory acceptance policies that are a unifying factor among the diverse range of ethnic and religious communities of our society, and the very strength of our public school system. Public schools serve any and all students that walk through the school house doors, regardless of race, religion, disability, gender, or income.
Voucher and tuition tax credit programs also deprive students of rights and protections they are guaranteed in public schools. Despite receiving public money, private schools that accept voucher funds are not subject to all federal civil rights laws and do not face the same public accountability standards that all public schools must meet, including those in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Title IX gender equality provisions, IDEA, and ESEA.

In addition, voucher and tuition tax credit programs do not undergo proper oversight, accountability, or internal controls. Most of these programs are plagued with accountability problems, given that they do not have to adhere to the same standards set for public schools.

Furthermore, voucher and tuition tax credit programs primarily fund private religious schools. To protect both the religious freedom of taxpayers and the autonomy of religious schools, many of our coalition members sincerely object to taxpayer money being used to fund religious education.

For these reasons and more, NCPE opposes any amendment that would create a private school voucher or tuition tax credit program.
Thank you for your consideration of our views.

Sincerely,

African American Ministers In Action
American Association of School Administrators
American Association of University Women (AAUW)
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
American Federation of School Administrators (AFSA)
AFL-CIO American Federation of Teachers
American Humanist Association
American Jewish Committee (AJC)
Americans for Democratic Action
Americans for Religious Liberty
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Anti-Defamation League
ASPIRA Association, Inc.
Association of Educational Service Agencies
Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty
Center for Inquiry
Clearinghouse on Women’s Issues
Council for Exceptional Children
Council of the Great City Schools
Disciples Justice Action Network
Equal Partners in Faith
Family and Children’s Ministries, Disciples Home Missions, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Feminist Majority
Hindu American Foundation
Institute for Science and Human Values
Interfaith Alliance
International Reading Association
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
NA’AMAT USA
National Alliance of Black School Educators
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
National Association for Bilingual Education
National Association of Elementary School Principals
National Association of Federally Impacted Schools
National Association of State Directors of Special Education
National Association of Secondary School Principals
National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Council of Jewish Women
National Education Association
National Organization for Women
National PTA
National Rural Education Advocacy Coalition
National Rural Education Association
National School Boards Association
People For the American Way
Public Education Network
Secular Coalition for America
School Social Work Association of America
Southern Poverty Law Center
Union for Reform Judaism
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
United Church of Christ, Justice & Witness Ministries
Women of Reform Judaism

More AHA in the News

Latest news from TheHumanist.com

Subscribe Today

How Overturning Roe Will Impact More Than Just Abortions

Emily Newman

Fighting White Christian Nationalism at #AHACON22

Nicole Carr

The Abortion Debate Isn’t About Life; It’s About Control

Megan B. Wells

Building Humanist Communities at #AHACON22

Nicole Carr

What Would a Humanist Do? Tough and Necessary Conversations

TheHumanist.com Staff
American Humanist Association
1821 Jefferson Place, NW
Washington, DC 20036
202-238-9088
800-837-3792 (toll-free)
202-238-9003 (fax)
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • About the American Humanist Association
  • Are You Humanist?
  • What We Do
  • Key Issues
  • Board of Directors
  • Staff
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Get Involved
  • Report a Violation or Discrimination
  • Press Kit
  • Local Groups
  • Education Center
  • Become a Humanist Celebrant
  • Job and Internship Opportunities
  • Humanist Action Headquarters
  • Sign Up for AHA Emails
  • Privacy Policy
  • Records Policy
  • Site Map
  • Contact Us

©2022 American Humanist Association. All Rights Reserved.

Combined Federal CampaignIndependent Charities of AmericaGuideStarCharity NavigatorGuidestar 2021 Platinum Seal of Transparency