You may hear that school choice is an issue with only supporters from a single political party or of a single ideology. But as more school choice
programs are created and expanded, more Democrats than ever before are voting
in favor of these bills. In fact, when Governor Bobby Jindal signed an historic statewide expansion of the Student Scholarships for Excellence in Education program yesterday, nearly half
of the “yea” votes in the Senate were cast by Democrats and a dozen Democrats voted
for the legislation in the House.
Hare are some of the most prominent Democrats who support school choice:
Cory Booker: America’s mayor is not only a hero when it
comes to saving neighbors from fires, but he’s also a hero to Newark’s
children. A strong supporter of
education reform, this Mayor has teamed up with Republican Governor Chris
Christie to fight for the Opportunity Scholarship Act, a corporate scholarship
program that, if enacted, would allow the state’s most disadvantaged students
who attend the state’s poorest performing schools to have access to education
alternatives. He'll also be a keynote speaker at our annual National Policy Summit on May 3-4, 2012!
Michelle Rhee: Former chancellor of D.C. public schools,
Michelle Rhee is founder of StudentsFirst, which does just what it sounds like:
puts students first. Rhee is a strong
supporter of charter schools and private school choice. In fact, Rhee spoke in support of the D.C.
Opportunity Scholarship Program while heading up D.C. public schools. Speaking at the 2011 AFC Policy Summit, Rhee
said:
“I do not believe that my
job is to protect and defend and preserve a district that is doing a disservice
to children. I believe that my job is to make sure that every single child in
this city gets a great education. I am agnostic as to the delivery mechanism.”
Joel Klein: John Klein, former chancellor of New York
City public schools and now, the executive vice president of News Corp., has
been pushing strong education reforms in New York and nationally, with a
particular strong note on educational options.
A strong supporter of public school choice and charter schools, Klein
also supports giving parents the most options available, including through
voucher programs. Writing
in the New York Daily News in March,
Klein wrote:
“Public school choice, charter schools
and vouchers like the D.C. Opportunity Scholarships help to level the playing
field for families and encourage educators to think creatively about how to
best serve students and families. Coupled with necessary resources,
well-prepared educators, and strong curricula, I believe that choice has the
power to improve the overall quality of education we are providing to our
students.”
Adrian Fenty: While mayor of Washington, D.C., Fenty not
only brought Michelle Rhee to the city, he supported strong education reform,
including the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program. And he’s not the only former mayor to support
the nation’s only federally-funded voucher program: former Mayors Anthony Williams and Marion
Barry—along with a majority of the D.C. Council—support the program.
Jason Fields: Representing Milwaukee, Representative Fields
has become a champion in expanding and improving the nation’s longest-running
voucher program in the nation, the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. In fact, when the program was expanded in
2011, Fields was instrumental in ensuring that families can remain in the
program despite future income growth.
Called the “once in, always in” provision, this enables families to rest
assured that their children can have the education they choose. He's also not afraid to stand up to both parties in support of doing what's best for kids.
Arlene Ackerman: With more than 40 years of experience in the
public school system as a teacher, principal, and, most recently, a
superintendent Philadelphia schools, Ackerman is an ardent supporter of public
education and private school choice, calling it “the civil rights battle of our
generation.” Ackerman says that we can best reform our education system by
empowering low-income families via access to charter schools and school
vouchers:
“Meaningful
education reform must be forced upon the system from outside by giving parents
of all income levels real choices about where their children go to school. That
requires giving parents comprehensive school choice that includes an expanded
charter-school system and a voucher program for low-income parents with
children trapped in a failing school.”
Governor Brad Henry: As governor of Oklahoma, Henry signed
legislation into law that was named after his daughter. The Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship for
Students with Disabilities Program serves 160 students with special needs in
the 2011-12 school year. This program is
currently under attack in the courts.
Gloria Romero: Former state senator from California and a
leader of Democrats for Education Reform, Romero not only supports school
choice, but she was a principal author of California’s Parent Trigger law,
which puts the power of reforming education in the hands of parents.
And these are just a
few of the Democrats that support school choice. In states across the nation, state senators,
representatives, and superintendents are supporting enacting and expanding
these programs.
- American Federation for Children | Alliance for School Choice, MSG
No comments:
Post a Comment