READERS RESPOND

* AT ISSUE: In November, voters will choose whether to support

Proposition 38, which would provide a $4,000-per-child credit to attend

private school.

I do support Proposition 38 only because I have had both children of

mine go to public and private, and I can’t get over the difference in

what I have seen in my private school children.

I only wish they would have had vouchers so they could have continued

their private school education. There is no comparison. There are kids

who are high achievers in public education, but I loved what I saw.

I was a single parent. We couldn’t afford it, but they helped us get

through it. I wouldn’t give it up. It was the best thing I ever

did.REGINA CONTRERES

Huntington Beach

We are vehemently opposed to school vouchers in any form because:

1. Public tax dollars should not be used to subsidize private

institutions.

2. Most private schools are religious in nature. Whatever happened to

separation of church and state?

3. Those most likely to benefit are those that can already afford to

send their children to private schools. I do not want my tax dollars to

benefit those who need it least.

4. Vouchers would take much-needed dollars from our already

financially strapped public schools.

California used to have the best public school system in the country.

Now we rank near the bottom. The reason? Years and years of reducing

school funding. Gov. Gray Davis has increased funding, but most of the

additional dollars have strings attached. School districts do not have

local control of how to spend the money they receive.

Education is no longer a priority in California. More tax dollars go

to building prisons than to educating our children. What is wrong with

this picture?

Let’s make education a priority again. Give our public schools the

funding they need, and the ability to spend the money where it is needed

most. We all benefit from an educated society. After all, the children in

school today are our leaders of tomorrow.

CARL AND PAM DOMINELLO

Huntington Beach

I definitely do not support it because the people that need the help

the most will not be able to take advantage of the situation. It’s a

ridiculous one, and people need to look at it very closely.

ELIZABETH BOXALD

Fountain Valley