A Rare Moderate Shares Her Views on School Choice

Michelle Bernard in 2008 at the Democratic
National Convention in Denver, Colo.

Most of you probably know Michelle Bernard from her appearances on cable news, her leadership at the Bernard Center for Women, Politics & Public Policy, and her propensity to stick by her views even in the face of opposition from audiences in her demographic groups. Even though she sometimes get flack for it, Bernard is truly noteworthy in her ability to stay a true moderate in a time of both political parties moving to the extremes.

So, as we debrief from our time at Education Nation—for which there will be a more elaborate post tomorrow—we thought we'd show you a great video that Bernard did with Reason in the summer, in which she explains the roots of her passion in education reform and school choice, also calling for "a broader coalition of people who are dedicating themselves to school choice and comprehensive education reform."

She cited the need for more so-called "closet" supporters to come out and stand up for kids:

You have Democrats and left-of-center activists who sort of make a joke and say they're in the closet, because they feel like they're going to get beaten up by their party or their colleagues if they speak out and say they're for school reform and school choice...and so one of the things I think we're going to see in the next five years is a broader coalition that includes more people who are Democrats, more people who are left of center, and more racially diverse, as well.

You can watch the full interview below.



- American Federation for Children | Alliance for School Choice, MAG