When Gov. Greg Abbott recently iterated his support for school choice, the state’s teacher’s union argued that school choice already exists in Texas. However, there is a vast difference between the “choices” the union points to and true freedom of choice.
For example, one former teacher said,
The reality is there’s already a choice. Lubbock ISD is a perfect example of where kids can choose the type of school they want to go to, whether they want to focus on STEM or some other opportunity that may be available to them. [bold added]
The teacher didn’t address what a student should do if the Lubbock ISD doesn’t offer “some other opportunity” that the student desires. The fact is, students can only select from the alternatives the school district chooses to make available to them. And that is not true freedom of choice.
In and of itself, having alternatives to choose from is not freedom of choice. An armed robber presents you with two alternatives when he demands, “Your wallet or your life.” Hover, he has arbitrarily eliminated the alternative that you would prefer—retaining both your money and your life. In principle, the choices offered by the Lubbock ISD and the armed robber are the same. Both unilaterally and arbitrarily limit the available options. And both resort to coercion in the process. The robber uses a gun to attain your money regardless of your desires. Government schools use taxation to attain your money regardless of your desires.
True freedom of choice only exists when the alternatives available to us are not arbitrarily limited by others. When we are truly free to choose, the only restrictions on the available alternatives are those imposed by reality and the rights of others. Presenting us with false alternatives is not an example of freedom of choice.
School choice is not true freedom of choice, but it is a significant step in that direction.