A Few Thoughts About School Choice
Last week, I had a brief but interesting conversation about school choice. My stance on this issue is clear on this website, but that day, I was in a professional setting when the topic came up. Had I been in a more suitable environment to engage in the conversation, I believe it could have been productive. However, time was limited, I was surrounded by others, and I was representing a brand that wasn’t my own. So, here are some follow-up thoughts after reflecting on that brief encounter. I was asked this……
Wouldn’t I feel bad for the teachers who lost their jobs because of school choice vouchers?
Personally, I think New Jersey still has a long way to go before it has a truly effective school choice program. That said, if such an opportunity were to be offered to students in New Jersey, it would certainly be an adjustment for everyone involved. However, the number of students who need to learn will not change, and teachers will still be in demand. Very few people are “anti-education!” (though political mudslinging sometimes goes in this direction) Most can recognize the importance of children learning to read and write.
Let me be crystal clear on this: while I would be saddened if teachers were laid off, school is not about the teachers; school is about the child.
I believe the school choice program would only work if it doesn’t infringe on religious freedom and parental rights.
A Personal Experience: Education System Failures
I was once a member of a Board of Education in a district where the situation was far from ideal. The neglect wasn’t limited to the students; it was so pervasive that even the teachers were not being supported by the union and the union heads were part of the corruption. It was a heartbreaking and deeply disappointing thing to witness. I sat quietly and couldn’t believe my eyes. (I say this with my witnessed account of child trafficking being taken out of account) The school building itself was in disrepair, the administration was answering to people that had no business calling the shots, and the vice principal the was, in my opinion, negligent and dangerous.
The teachers were barely managing to keep their heads above water, working tirelessly to teach children dealing with family drama, special needs, and financial struggles and trying to advocate for them. My heart broke for every teacher and student in that building.
Academically, the school was failing, with poor test scores and—despite being a Title 3 school—one non-Spanish-speaking teacher was assigned to teach Spanish.
While I hope our situation was an extreme case, it is sadly unlikely.
Why I Support School Choice
My husband and I built a house many years ago when I thought I would become a homesteading, homeschooling mom. I had a deep interest in both, but life has evolved, and I’m not in that season anymore. I love working and contributing to creating a better world than the one I grew up in.
When we built our house, we were told that school choice was available in New Jersey. I assumed my kids would never need to step foot in “that” local public schools. I was wrong. The schools that were part of the “school choice” program failed us at every turn. One school, no matter which child I called for, would end the conversation abruptly upon hearing my zip code. Another used a Google Doc to compile a list of applicants, but my children’s names never moved up. One school was a 45-minute drive away, and another only offered school choice from 6th grade onward. In short, it never worked for us.
To make matters worse, I developed a cyst/tumor behind my eyes, which prevented me from managing the education of three children spaced five years apart.
The Broken Public Education System
Our story makes it clear: the public education system is broken. Very. Broken. This is why I support school choice. It is also one of the reasons I work hard to pay for tuition at a local private school. School choice would give parents and children the ability to choose the best educational path, one that best suits their needs. That’s why I am an advocate for school choice.
