Public schools are not forthright in the face of crisis

Each time one of our public schools faces a controversial issue, school district officials are quick to circle the proverbial wagons.

They clamp down, refuse to comment, fail to return calls or they hide behind excuses that the matter is under investigation.

A recent “incident of inappropriate student behavior,” so named by Cave Creek School District officials, made it to television and garnered national headlines.

Bear in mind, what really transpired at that school–as opposed to the school district’s sugarcoated version–was severe enough to prompt Scottsdale police to arrest two teenage boys.

Police recently reported their intent to file charges against a third teenager soon.

At least one outraged parent said he was pulling his child out of the school where the incidents took place.

But not all parents can afford to pull their kids out of public school and send them elsewhere.

This incident, or series of incidents, is another solid reason for school vouchers. If our public schools–funded by our tax money–aren’t going to uphold the standards we expect, parents should have the freedom to choose schools that do uphold high standard.