A voucher system would hurt the nation's public schools, Democratic congressional candidate Tony Heckemeyer said Thursday.

Heckemeyer said such a system would lead wealthier families to enroll their children in private schools.

Public schools would be left with low-income children and "thugs," Heckemeyer said during a campaign stop in Jackson.

Heckemeyer spoke to about 20 people gathered outside the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in Jackson, including several Democratic county officeholders.

Heckemeyer, who attended both parochial and public schools, said he doesn't want to privatize education.

The public school system is an integral part of society, he said.

Heckemeyer said a voucher system would not only hurt the public schools, but harm private schools by imposing government regulations on them.

Although the Sikeston Democrat attempted to contrast his view on vouchers with that of his Republican opponent, U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson of Cape Girardeau, Emerson said she doesn't support the voucher system either.

"I have not supported vouchers for Missouri schools because there has been too big of a risk that our public school system could end up getting hurt," she said.

Heckemeyer said the federal government needs to provide financial incentives to improve public schools in the same way that "a fisherman uses his bait."

He objected to efforts in Congress to cut federal funding for education. He said Emerson has "turned a blind eye to the important issue of education."

Heckemeyer also said he wanted to shift more control of education to local school districts.

He said one federal law, Title IX, made it difficult for public schools to kick out students who had discipline problems.

"They tried to do social work in the classroom. That is wrong," Heckemeyer said following his speech.

Heckemeyer said that as a circuit judge he helped start the first alternative school in the Bootheel to deal with children who had discipline problems.

He said the nation needs to allow teachers and principals to "get rid of the thugs in our schools."

Heckemeyer said he opposes Missouri's current law on teacher tenure. As a state representative in the 1960s, he voted against it.

He said the current law not only makes it difficult for school districts to fire incompetent teachers, it doesn't help competent teachers.

Following his speech, Heckemeyer said the tenure issue is a state matter rather than a federal issue.