The Most Important Point to Remember on School Choice

The Most Important Point to Remember on School Choice

by Taylor Dawson

With the school choice movement taking root across the United States, Tennessee has made
significant progress in the last few years as well. One of the best parts of my job at Beacon is
connecting with families who have had their lives changed by school choice.

That also comes with a difficult flip side. So many families in Tennessee are still not satisfied
with their educational options, and few—mostly students in rural areas—have access to the
opportunities that things like charter schools, micro-schools, or the education savings account
program can bring.

One of the things we hear most often is that school choice is an attack on public schools. This is simply not true. While there are failing public schools in Tennessee, there are also a lot of excellent traditional public schools that meet students’ needs effectively. But not every student
has the same needs.

That’s where school choice comes in.

It’s not fair to children that government dictates where they go to school based on their zip codes. Rather, parents should be empowered to explore options that fit their child’s individual needs. After all, shouldn’t parents be in control of that decision, rather than state government?

Take the story of Roxanne Glass, for example. Roxanne is a single mother in Memphis, Tennessee. When she was growing up, Roxanne went to a public school and dealt with bullying, forcing her to withdraw and turn to homeschool to finish her degree. With her experiences in high school in mind, Roxanne enrolled her elder daughter in a charter school in Memphis, where she recently graduated. Now, for her younger daughter Nicole, Roxanne has opted into the education savings account program, and Nicole is thriving in kindergarten at
Sensational Enlightenment Academy.

Because of school choice opportunities in her area, Roxanne was empowered to find what she believed would be the best options for both of her daughters. Even in one household, one path was not the best fit for both children. That is what school choice is all about: giving families
access to education that fits their individual needs.

When we engage our friends and neighbors about school choice, that is the point that needs to be made. I support all children getting a quality education, whether that comes from a traditional public school, charter school, micro-school, home school, or private school. But it’s not up to me—and it shouldn’t be up to the government—to decide what the best solution is for each individual student. That should be left up to the families themselves, and that is why I believe school choice for all.