School Choice?

On Tuesday, it was discovered that the American Federation for Children (the group Betsy DeVos, former Education Secretary, used to chair), sent a hit piece supporting their school choice bills in the Georgia legislature. The piece linked certain GOP lawmakers to Democratic nemeses like Stacey Abrams and Nancy Pelosi. While this is not an analysis of the bills in question, it is my view on school choice. 

 

I believe all parents want the best school for their child. Some people can move to a certain zip code and accomplish this. Some people can choose private or parochial schools. But for most of our history, getting to the best primary or secondary school took the ability to move or pay tuition. In my hometown of Gainesville, the city schools have had a tuition program for many years. In Vermont and New Hampshire, they have what is called Town Tuitioning since the mid 1800s and that allows students to travel to nearby schools and have the money follow them. I write about this experiment extensively in my book, “Indivisible: Uniting Values in a Divided America.” I am also the 9th District Representative to the Georgia State Board of Education and consider this issue every day. 

 

A few years ago, I watched a documentary called “Waiting for Superman.” It was about parents of color, mostly poor and they will move heaven and earth to get their child in a better school. My parents were not well educated but they knew for their children to succeed, they needed an education. Education and economics are what separates us and it is what will unite us. 

 

So, I support in school choice, and I believe the options available outside of the public school system has made out public schools stronger. Hall County Schools is a charter school system and offers many of the options that school choice offers. However, the legislature needs to continue to take up these issues and debate them and not let a well-orchestrated hit piece take them off that path. 

 

Maybe, next year.