WASHINGTON – Some people in the school choice movement worry increasing political polarization and a so-called “Trump effect” could threaten their prospects.
With that backdrop, policymakers and advocates gathered in Washington talked about ways to make their message resonate across the growing divides.
“Guaranteeing, as best as we can, equal educational opportunity for every child in America — that is too big to fall victim to partisan politics or ideological warfare,” said former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman said in a keynote address that echoed a consistent theme of the American Federation for Children’s annual policy summit. “The goal of our education system is not to protect the status quo. The goal of our education system is to give every one of our children an equal education opportunity.”
Political strategists at the conference warned of troubling signs ahead of this November’s elections. While overall support for school choice remains strong, they saw some difficult trends.
“Our coalition is holding together,” said Deborah Beck, who runs a Democratic polling firm. “It is under strain.”
She found school choice opinions may be souring among urbanites and people of color, both Democratic-leaning constituencies. She added many Latino and Asian voters – groups usually inclined to support educational options – are anxious about many issues in the country.
“You have a group of people who are very energized to send a message to the Trump Administration that they are angry,” she said.
Beck said there is even broader support for some specific policies. For example, education savings accounts, which allow parents to withdraw their children from public school and receive government funds for private school tuition and other educational needs, remain popular in polling.
Ashlee Rich Stephenson, a Republican chief strategist for WPAintel, said Republicans’ electoral prospects may not be as dim as some observers expect. The economy is doing well, she said, and that remains voters’ no. 1 concern.
And several speakers at the conference suggested their enduring messages may continue to resonate.
Rev. H.K. Matthews, a civil rights leader, spoke about his childhood and how he was relegated to country schools with raggedy books and buildings with no heat. He walked 26 miles daily to school.
“I always knew that was not the way we were supposed to live,” he said. “I always knew we had to fight for freedom of choice. We can’t afford to hate in the movement. We can’t afford to even be angry with those who oppose us in the movement as the teachers’ union did in Florida. We have to spring into action.”
Former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels also emphasized civil rights.
“I can’t think of a more crystalline example of social justice than enabling poor families to have the same rights and same power and same decision-making over their children’s education than rich people,” he said. “If that is not just. What is?”
Lieberman likened major political parties to warring tribes – a dynamic he said has worsened since he left the Senate.
He spoke about how he was the sole Democrat, at times, supporting school choice policies. He said it did not make sense to him, particularly since the Democratic Party typically advocates for the poor. Unfortunately, now, “If one side is for one thing, the other side is against it,” he said.
But he took heart in the American Federation For Children’s record in previous elections, where successes crossed party lines. During the 2016 elections, school choice advocates won 71 percent of the primaries and 89 percent of their generation-election races. That helped create a climate in which states keep creating new school choice programs.
“You are part of a movement that has momentum,” he told conference attendees. “The fight for school choice, for empowering the parents of all children is an important one. I honestly believe that America’s future depends on it.”
