I am on my way to Baton Rouge for a mini-debate with Chas Roemer, the president of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. I read some of Mr. Roemer’s ideas on the Internet, and he is a big enthusiast for vouchers, charters, and every kind of privatization, as well as lowering standards for teachers.

A group called Leaders with Vision is sponsoring our discussion. It is affiliated with the League of Women Voters.

Since we will have only 15 minutes each, I won’t get to say everything I would like to say, but would like to bring this article about vouchers in Chile to Mr. R’s attention. Maybe he will have time to read it after I depart.

The takeaway: vouchers have led to increased inequality.

Here is an excerpt:

“And yet, the student achievement gap in Chile, and the resulting economic divide, is growing.
Three-fourths of the public school enrollment in Chile are students from the lower 40 percent in family income. Only 10 percent of disadvantaged students use vouchers to attend private schools. Ninety percent of the private school students come from the top 60 percent.

“The opportunities, where they have existed, have been for the benefit of upper-middle income families. Students in private schools, especially in those that charge fees above the voucher amount, are doing pretty well. Students in public schools struggle amid a host of challenges. Budget cuts have led to overall decline in quality. Disadvantaged students and students with disabilities – the students Romney’s plan is said to help – are vastly overrepresented in the public schools, in large part because public schools are the last resort for students turned away because of income, ability or discipline issues.

” The education marketplace has grown in Chile, as Friedman predicted, but quality is not the only factor people take into consideration. For parents, price and proximity also matter. For private schools, the emphasis is on serving students that are cheapest to educate, not tailoring different programs to the unique needs of students.

” Many parents are driven to seek any alternative, even if the alternative is sometimes worse. Disadvantaged students are more likely to be served in franchise private schools rather than independent or religious private schools. The frustration of students, teachers and parents is at a breaking point.

” Since 2006, Chilean students, teachers, and parents have been engaged in the Penguin Revolution, a reference to school uniforms. They are organizing, agitating and demonstrating for something many Americans take for granted – free public schools.

“They call for an end to profiteering in education. They want a greater federal role in funding and in setting and enforcing consistent standards. They want the government to built more colleges to meet the growing demand. “