Why is the Administration Trying to Force Children to Stay in Failing Schools?

Like many folks in not-so-affluent neighborhoods, my local school struggles to provide quality education to students.  When I have my monthly tea with neighborhood friends the stress and worry about their child's education are written all over their faces while they discuss problems with the curriculum, teachers, and administration.  We nervously send our kids off to school and hope they are learning enough to help them advance beyond our own modest accomplishments.  Sadly, we know deep down statistically we'll be lucky if they graduate on time without being labeled. 

Which is why I'm saddened to hear about the Administration's recent attack on public education programs that actually give kids a fighting chance.  On August 22, 2013, the Department of Justice filed suit in U.S. District Court to end the Louisiana Scholarship Program on the grounds it violates a 1975 order prohibiting the state from providing financial support to public schools.  The program provides publicly funded vouchers for students to attend private schools.  The DOJ contends that the program impedes previous efforts to desegregate schools by, for example, "increasing the racial identifiability of schools..."  According to this article, over 90 percent of the program participants are minorities.  Republican House leadership recently wrote a letter to the DOJ requesting more information on the grounds of the suit. 

The DOJ's lawsuit is much like the Department of Education's efforts to eliminate the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, which provides low-income students scholarship money to attend some of the best independent schools in Washington, D.C.  Chairman John Kline of the House Committee on Education and Labor expressed concern over Administration efforts to compromise the program by rescinding scholarships, zeroing funding for the program, and limiting eligibility.

I don't understand why the Administration would pursue this path.  We all want the best for our children.  If there are government initiatives that are helping parents provide that, then they should be championed.  The D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program allows low-income children to attend schools the likes of which the President's daughters attend, so one has to ask, why the attack?  Shouldn't all children have the same incredible opportunity?  I implore Governor Bobby Jindal, Chairman Kline and Speaker Boehner to keep holding the administrations feet to the fire regarding these programs.  A quality education may be many of our children's only ticket to pursuing the American dream.