School choice is a central issue in Roland Straten's campaign to represent the people of New Jersey's 8th Congressional District.

"The inability of urban schools to fulfill the promises of education is one of, if not the, greatest failure of our American society," says Straten, the Republican candidate. "It is time to try something else."

Straten notes that large increases in spending over the past few decades have done little to improve education in our large cities. Scores are still well below norms; the drop-out rate is high, and even many who graduate require remediation, if they are accepted to college.

"It should be obvious to everyone by now, that throwing money at the problem is not the answer," says Straten. "The school children and parents should be yielding more for the amount of money being spent; society should be reaping a better benefit."

Public school systems and teachers are doing their best, Straten believes. That only strengthens his argument, he notes, saying that it is the system that needs to be addressed.

"Parents should have the right and ability to choose where their children go to school. Government support should go to parents not the system," he says. "Why should parents be locked in to sending their children into an environment that fails way too often?"

Straten believes that choice will create competition among schools. Those that do well will attract the parents armed with their vouchers. Those that do not will not survive.

"Right now the system perpetuates itself and the children are shortchanged," he says. "So many are not getting a genuine opportunity to advance to their capacity to do well for themselves and to contribute to society."

A self-described fiscal conservative, Straten believes in the value of competition. His campaign emphasizes the ills and failures of big government, and touts the benefits to society of free enterprise and open competition.

"Our country was built on freedom, choice and competition," Straten says. "People need to get straight information from their representatives, and then given the opportunity to make good choices. No where is that more important than in the education of our children."