A reader recently asked why an organization that defends property rights is interested in school choice. The reason is: school choice is a property rights issue.
The right to property means the freedom to produce, trade, and use material values as one deems best. For producers, this means the freedom to produce a product or service, such as education, and then offer that value to willing buyers. For consumers, this means the freedom to purchase the products and services of one’s choosing. Property rights protect our freedom of choice in the pursuit of values.
The government school system makes it difficult, if not impossible, for many parents to purchase the education services that they want for their children. Those parents are forced to provide financial support for government schools, and this often leaves no money available to purchase an alternative education service. They are locked into government schools, regardless of their child’s needs or interests. For those parents, the government school system has eliminated their freedom of choice.
School choice programs provide parents with the means to purchase alternative education services or provide home schooling. School choice programs enable parents to exercise their freedom of choice.
School choice is a step towards restoring freedom in the realm of education. However, it is not the ideal, not does it represent a consistent application of property rights. If property rights were consistently applied to education, government’s involvement, including coercive financing of schools, would be eliminated. Parents could then spend their money on the education services that they think best for their children. And other individuals would be free to support the schools of their choosing.
At the same time, property rights would remove the multiple regulations and controls that are imposed on private schools. Education innovators would be free to develop new curriculums and new teaching methods. Property rights would provide parents with more options.
The pursuit of any material value is a property rights issue. And that includes education.