By Lindsey Burke - The Heritage Foundation
Expect to hear the phrase "school choice" more than usual over the next few days. The fourth week of January is National School Choice Week, and advocates for educational freedom across the country will be highlighting its effectiveness for children.
More than 150 state and national organizations are participating, including the Black Alliance for Educational Options, the Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options and the Institute for Justice. House Speaker John Boehner, Newt Gingrich and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, as well as Sens. John McCain and Joe Lieberman, also are touting the school choice message.
Why school choice? Economist Milton Friedman best stated the philosophy behind it: "You can subsidize the producer, or you can subsidize the consumer. In education, we subsidize the producer; we subsidize the school. If you subsidize the student instead, you would have competition. The student could choose which school he would go to, and that would force the schools to improve and to meet the tastes of their students."
But you don't have to get philosophical. Just ask the kids.
Eleven year-old Paul wants to be an architect someday. He received a voucher through the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program to attend a private school. The opportunity to do so, says Paul, "has impacted his life in many ways."
"In my old public school, people screamed at the teacher, walked out (of) the school door in class, hurt me and made fun of all my friends. People did not pay attention, which made it hard for me to focus. When I first came to (my private) school, I made lots of friends the first day. It is easier for me to focus. In the second quarter I got all As, except for French, (in) which I got a B."
