Voucher Schools a 'Moral Imperative,' Walker Says

Speaking at a national policy summit for the American Federation for Children on Monday, Wisconsin governor and likely 2016 presidential candidate Scott Walker called voucher schools a moral and economic imperative.

Vouchers are used by K-12 students from low-income families to help them attend private schools. Wisconsin lawmakers are currently working on a deal to lift the limit of those who can participate in the program.

In Monday’s speech, Walker also spoke about limits on collective bargaining for teachers. “Schools can hire and fire based on merit,” he said of schools operating under Wisconsin’s Act 10 legislation. “We can pay based on performance. That means we can put the best and the brightest in our classroom and we can keep them here.”

One of Walker’s likely opponents for the GOP candidacy, Jeb Bush, was a strong advocate of private school vouchers during his time as governor of Florida. Credit: American Federation for Children