School Choice Flexes Political Muscles in Last Election

​After extensive analyses of the recent election, let us suggest one more driver behind the dismal performance of Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democrats – their adamant refusal to listen to their constituents about school choice.
 
We’ve long appealed to Democratic politicians to be brave on school choice. For example, when Govs. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and J.B. Pritzker of Illinois entertained modest tax breaks for school choice for needy children, they withdrew their support after being cuffed about the ears by the public teachers’ union.
 
How much longer can public unions bully elected officials to ignore the appeals of parents for more choice in education, especially from demographic groups long considered dependable Democratic voters? As the late economist Herb Stein said: If something cannot go on forever, it will stop.
 
Consider: Polling data from RealClear Opinion Research underscores that the growing bipartisan support for school choice crosses all demographic and political boundaries. In 2023, support for school choice reached 71 percent among voters, with strong backing from Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike.
 
Minority support is especially pronounced: 73 percent of Black voters and 71 percent of Hispanic voters favor school choice. This surge in interest, especially among minority voters, likely contributed to a stronger minority turnout for Donald Trump, who has long championed school choice as a civil rights issue. Did Kamala Harris hurt herself by stiff-arming these voters who want better opportunities for their children?
 
The appeal of school choice lies in the frustrations many families feel toward public education systems that have struggled, especially in low-income and minority communities. Some public-school districts serving minority communities have a half-century record of graduating one class of students after another who are largely unprepared for success in adult life.
 
The legacy of underperformance in these schools has led many minority voters to demand alternatives, including charter schools and vouchers, that offer a more personalized approach to education. Protect The 1st advocates for these policies because they fulfill the ability of parents to exercise the First Amendment by extending their values to the next generation.
 
It is no mystery why school choice is sweeping the nation. One-quarter of the states have embraced some form of universal school choice. Texas is about to be next after the recent election added a solid majority to pass Gov. Greg Abbott’s school choice plan next year. The political landscape is shifting, and not just in red states. As long as Democrats consistently buckle to pressure from the government teachers union, they risk alienating a growing segment of an eroding voter base.
 
We urge elected Democrats to bravely reject political pressure from a special interest group. School choice is too important to be anything less than a bipartisan cause.

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