
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, August 13, 1993                   TAG: 9309120255
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DON BISHOP
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

COURT PAVED WAY FOR SCHOOL CHOICE

THE EFFORTS of the editorial staff to influence voters are unremittingly biased and even using erroneous assumptions to put forth the staff's agenda. I speak of the Aug. 7 editorial entitled ``Warning signal on school choice.''

To quote this editorial, ``Indeed, parents ought to have more tax-subsidized options - within the public school system.'' It also alleges that having private schools on the government-subsidized choice menu could help certain schools to which the editorial staff is apparently opposed. Cementing the staff's lack of knowledge is the statement: ``It also could put government in the business of supporting parochial schools, in violation of church-state separation.''

In a 1925 case, Pierce vs. Society of Sisters, a unanimous court ruled that ``the child is not the creature of the state,'' and that ``no child can be compelled to attend a public school.'' We have compulsory education, not compulsory attendance.

In 1983, (Mueller vs. Allen)

please see microfilm for the rest of this story.

by CNB