I’m a product of the public schools—the public schools of New Orleans, no less. No, I’m not trying to be a poster child to lambast the Republicans for their proposal to spend $100 million on vouchers for low-income students in failing public schools around the country to attend private and religious schools.

Nah, I’m just here to say it’s possible. It’s possible to produce smart and curious students who attend public schools. It’s possible to hire and retain dedicated, passionate, and supportive teachers. Especially, when you analyze the results of a report released by the Department of Education (quietly on July 14), which showed that students attending public schools generally did as well as or better than comparable students in private schools.

Now how ‘bout funneling that $100 million into public schools throughout the country so that thousands more students benefit instead of the mere 28,000 this proposal would serve?