Many views were bantered about Wednesday on “The View” as the panel discussed the state of education in America.
The conversation got heated between co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Alyssa Farah Griffin debated the pros and con of a school voucher program, per a report on Mediaite.
Whoopi Goldberg had to step in to moderate the conversation that continued before and after a commercial break.
“We’re all here at the table and we’re having a conversation and we’re going to go back to it, but before we do, I just want to say this is the beauty of people who have different opinions and sometimes it’s messy,” Goldberg said. “Sometimes we’re messy. And I don’t know if you noticed that when I came out this morning, I had trouble trying to figure out — because there was nothing in the [teleprompter]. There’s something in the air, so just know something is chewing on us.”
Hostin said school vouchers causes some schools being less funded.
Griffin said it was a matter of choice the vouchers afford families to provide a good education.
“There is zero statistical significance that voucher programs improve overall student success, in fact, it’s quite the opposite,” Hostin said. “Research has shown that students who use those programs to leave a public school and attend a private school do worse academically.”
She added Linda McMahon was given the nod for secretary of education because of her allegiance to President-elect Donald Trump.
Griffin countered by saying she has seen what vouchers can do.
“I worked on the DC Opportunity scholarship program in Congress. That program alone, which is a charter school system, experienced a 21% increase in graduation rates,” Griffin said. “There are conflicting statistics, but according to Morning Consult the majority of Americans support health savings account vouchers and the taxpayer money following the students.”
Without having a choice, students attend schools that are “falling behind.”
“It’s simply a parent should make the best choice for their student, but I also think there are schools that are falling behind, it doesn’t mean they don’t deserve education but I don’t think students should be victims of a falling behind at school. Their life is at stake,” Griffin said.
Hostin pointed out the inequality of their educational experiences.
“But you went to a good school!” Hostin said. “I wasn’t in a good school district, that’s the inequity.”
“But where did you go to school?” Griffin asked.
“I had to start school in the South Bronx projects,” Hostin said.
“But didn’t you get to go to a private school?” Griffin countered.
The conversation grew tense as Goldberg grappled to take back control of the show.
“Don’t make me shut this bad boy down again!People make the decisions they can make about what they can do. The problem with the school system is we allow failing schools because we don’t bolster them,” Goldberg said. “We don’t pay teachers. We don’t take care of the students that need to be taken care of. I also — I’ve been in both. I’ve been in charter schools. I’ve been in public schools. I’ve been in private schools. People make the decisions they make. What I want to make sure of is that she doesn’t touch things and get rid of things.”
