President Biden recently provided an “accidental endorsement” of school choice. In an attempt to criticize Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ education policies, Biden tweeted,
I think every kid, in every zip code, in every state should have access to every education opportunity possible. I guess, for some, that isn’t the consensus view.
Biden is correct that providing every education opportunity possible isn’t a consensus view. However, it is his fellow Democrats who almost unanimously oppose school choice.
In his “accidental endorsement,” Biden inadvertently named the goal of school choice programs—to expand education opportunities. Those who oppose school choice programs are really opposing the expansion of education opportunities.
To be clear, no school choice program in the country provides every education opportunity possible. All such programs are administered by the government. And what the government administers the government controls. That invariably means that choices and opportunities are limited in one way or another.
Regardless, school choice programs do provide more education opportunities. Rather than being limited to sending their child to the neighborhood government school, parents have more alternatives when they can use vouchers or education savings plans. More alternatives mean more opportunities. Limited alternatives mean limited opportunities.
We do students a great disservice when we limit their education alternatives. They are forced into the curriculum chosen by politicians and bureaucrats, rather than the people who know their needs and desires best—their parents.
By their very nature, government schools provide limited alternatives. They can’t offer every type of curriculum that students desire. Of course, the same is true of individual private schools. However, individual schools can offer unique curriculums targeted to specific desires and interests. For example, one school may specialize in economics, while another school focuses on the building trades. One might offer an intensive study of literature while another does the same with writing. Education entrepreneurs should be free to offer the curriculum of their choosing. And students should be free to attend the schools that offer the curriculum that they need and desire.