A significant change from the previous president’s angry opposition to reform was made by President Donald Trump’s executive order on Wednesday that directs governmental agencies to find ways to promote school choice programs.
There are already around a few states that offer general school choice options to nearly all pupils, empowering the households of more than a million children, according to EdChoice. Additionally, this year marks the 15th annual National School Choice Week, a celebration that “informs, empowers, and helps kids to discover the K-12 training options available to their children.”
By allowing individuals to access private-school options that were once only available to the wealthy, the current people zip-code-zoned system has a monopoly over students ‘ education, according to the term “school choice.” These initiatives supplement other efforts like open enrollment and public charter schools, which allow students to attend institutions outside of their families ‘ designated districts.
Staunch Opposition
In Kentucky’s general election, where voters had the option to change the state’s constitution to allow for free school choice, there was a widespread ( and illegal ) effort to sway money from taxpayers by using public school resources to stifle opposition and silence opponents online. National teachers ‘ unions contributed more than$ 7 million to political action committees to ensure that students in Kentucky have no alternative to the school they are assigned to, which ultimately led to the amendment’s failure.
Also, in South Carolina, specific interests engaged in an organized lawfare plan to eliminate the government’s Educational Scholarship Trust Fund, a program intended to benefit lower- and middle-income families with other options to traditional public schools. More than 2, 000 scholarships were voided as a result of the decision, which was only weeks into the start of the new academic year.
Success Stories
Advocates for school choice must continue to do so. As the lead education lawyer for Liberty Justice Center, a public-interest litigation firm, I’ve had the privilege of helping fight on behalf of parents, students, and teachers seeking a more free, fair, and transparent educational system.
For instance, we led a coalition of education reform advocates to bring the personal accounts of a range of students who benefit from school choice programs, including those who have been bullied, those who have been in the military, and those who belong to religious minorities, before the court. In Missouri, we stopped an attempt by anti-choice activists to block funding for 45, 000 students at independent schools.
We gave local taxpayers the authority to file petitions with their district attorneys in Texas using the state’s powerful election laws to find out if school administrators were illegally using taxpayer funds to persuade their employees to support anti-choice candidates. Likewise, in Kentucky, we took a stand against electioneering with taxpayer resources.
We collaborated with activists in Iowa to draft and pass legislation that would outlaw this practice when school districts were colluding to withhold sales of vacant buildings to charter schools and other educational entrepreneurs.
The Supreme Court will also be present soon. The case St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School v. Drummond will determine whether religious organizations can qualify as charter schools on the same terms as secular organizations, according to the court’s decision to consider.
Past Bipartisan Support
Unfortunately, school choice has recently developed a partisan vibe, with Republicans overwhelmingly opposed to expanded educational options and Democratic politicians largely in favor of them. However, this wasn’t always the case. Two of the earliest modern “voucher” programs were championed by minority community leaders, with bipartisan support, to help children escape failing and segregated schools.
The left should be aware that choosing a school can also prevent cultural conflicts. In Louisiana, the state has mandated that every classroom must display the Ten Commandments, and in Oklahoma, Bible instruction is now required in schools. Those who object should be able to opt out and seek other educational opportunities that reflect their values if legal challenges to these programs are unsuccessful.
By the end of the school choice week of the following year, we should strive to avoid partisan divides and support reforms that prioritize the needs of children and parents over bureaucratic ones.
