Staff Reports
One of the shining victories for conservative ideals in recent years has been the monumental shift towards school choice. Parents across America are finally regaining control over their children’s education, thanks to a variety of school choice initiatives. A stunning 74 education choice programs currently operate in 33 states, along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, according to EdChoice.
However, not everyone is thrilled about this empowering development. The Left—with notable figures like Kamala Harris at the forefront—detests school choice because it undermines their agenda to indoctrinate children within the confines of public schools. Every time a parent opts for a non-public school, it becomes one less opportunity for progressives to push their radical views on children, from altering gender identities to introducing them to the glorified sexual revolution before they’ve even hit puberty.
The Left’s primary tactics in this ongoing educational war revolve around deception and manipulation. A glaring example emerged 20 years ago when the Akron Beacon Journal ran a sensational series aimed at vilifying homeschooling. Instead of addressing how public schools can be hotbeds of danger, they attempted to link every tragic case of child harm to parents choosing to educate their children at home, ignoring the mountain of evidence about public school dangers.
Those who advocate for homeschooling often find themselves victims of a fallacy known as proof by lack of evidence. The sheer volume of statistics available on public school students only emphasizes what remains unknown about homeschooled children. It’s akin to saying that there’s a lack of evidence for the existence of unicorns, implying that a grand conspiracy must be afoot without any factual basis. This absence of evidence doesn’t mean that something sinister is hidden behind closed doors; it simply reflects the need for sound logic in discussions.
Recent trends show that even large media organizations continue to propagate these falsehoods about school choice. The Cleveland Plain Dealer, for example, is in an uproar over the expansion of school vouchers in Ohio, which allows nearly every student in the state to benefit, thus threatening the monopoly that public schools hold on educational funding. Their recent articles serve to frighten parents into keeping their kids stuck in underperforming schools rather than empowering them to explore better options. With the amount of taxpayer money spent on private school scholarships nearing $1 billion, the alarm bells are ringing for those who prefer a one-size-fits-all approach to education.
Cherry-picking data to support narratives is another tool of the trade. The Plain Dealer recently highlighted a statistic suggesting that public schools are performing better than vouchers allow. This was based on a single outlier statistic about proficiency rates in American government classes, conveniently ignoring the broader reality of abysmal performance across the board—where private schools often perform significantly better. In East Cleveland, for instance, students struggle dramatically with subjects like Algebra and Geometry despite a hefty per-student expenditure.
Reinforcing the education-industrial complex, the Democrat Party remains committed to maintaining the status quo. With their focus firmly on controlling public school funding and opposing for-profit charter schools and private school vouchers, they prioritize the agendas that directly benefit the teachers’ unions over the educational needs of children. This ideology emphasizes identity politics over education, potentially forcing children back into failing systems should Harris gain power and roll back advances in school choice.
Parents: always do the opposite of what Harris wants you to do with your kids.
Kamala Harris Wants Your Kids in Public School, and She Wants Them There NOW https://t.co/R8yDT24I4o
— Stacy Washington (@StacyOnTheRight) August 27, 2024
The looming threat to school choice and homeschooling remains real, but parents are increasingly recognizing the dangers associated with indoctrination in public schools. They want their children to be educated in a safe environment where the three R’s—reading, writing, and arithmetic—are prioritized over social agendas. Parents strive for a straightforward and effective education for their children, something that once thrived before progressive ideologies infiltrated the school system.
The fight for parental rights in education is far from over. Democrats are unlikely to relinquish their grip on schools without a vigorous struggle. Obliterating options for school choice could very well lead to a resurgence of radical educational policies. Awareness about the tactics employed by politicians like Harris to reel back school choice must spread, ensuring that voters remain informed ahead of crucial elections. With parents standing firmly against the agenda of the Left, the tide of public sentiment may continue to turn, marking a hopeful horizon for the future of education in America.
