Meeks wants to give private-school vouchers to 50,000 students

The Chicago Sun-Times reports:

Arguing that Chicago Public Schools are “broken’’ and that parents deserve a “choice,’’ mayoral challenger James Meeks said Wednesday he would offer $4,500-a-year vouchers to 50,000 low-and-middle-income Chicago families to use toward private school tuition.

If he is elected mayor, Meeks said he would also offer full-day kindergarten and character education in all Chicago Public Schools and double the time spent on reading and math in first through third grades. Full-day kindergarten would be financed in part by cutting bonus pay for teachers that have master’s degrees.

Meeks is currently an Illinois state Senator. He's also the preacher of the largest congregation in Illinois. So, this isn't a right wing Republican saying this.