Students Finally Winning The School Choice Fight

Dozens of states expanded school choice in the last two years, allowing more students to leave government-run schools.

But David Walrod, the president of a teachers' union in Fairfax, Virginia, says the new school choice programs are harmful.

We debate.

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Many kids have good reasons to leave government-run schools. Such schools often needlessly shut down for Covid, and stayed closed for two years. Some indoctrinate kids. Many leave bad teachers on the job. Many spend absurd amounts of money. (Fairfax, Virginia, schools spend more than $300k per classroom.)

But Walrod says that school choice will create too many different schools, and duplicate wasteful bureaucracies.

You can watch our debate in the video above.

[sallymcmurray]

Now we need to get rid of the Dept of Education

[brandonkenney]

I especially liked the part where Stossel was challenged to teach in a classroom by the unions. He accepted the challenge, and then they withdrew the offer.

[alaingarcia]

Abolish the Department of Education it's not constitutional.

[SpazBates]

As a parent who took their child out of public school and put him into a charter school all I can say is....charter is the way to go! A world of difference.

[crbondur]

YES!!! So glad that parents are finally figuring out that public funds should follow the CHILDREN, not the schools.

[za-jmwf]

Unions should not be allowed in public funded institutions

[bosshemi]

I live for the day the teachers unions cough out a last breath.

[JG-npqg]

Wow that public school spokesman said a lot of stupid.

[kinjunranger]

"Innovation isn't a good thing in education". That dude should be immediately fired, but instead, he'll be given a raise.

[lunaredelvour]

"Competition makes things better"
"Isn't that good for schools?"
"Not for education"
That says enough to me. Homeschooling it is

[JeffreyMoon]

Almost 40 years ago, my parents noticed that most of the high school teachers in our district sent their children to PRIVATE schools. That was enough reason for them to send me there, too. It made a huge difference for me, especially knowing that the high school almost lost its accreditation in the late 80s.

[robertolson]

After spending 39 years in public education, I agree that Unions are part of the problem. They have helped increase the earnings of teachers at the cost of the ability to fire incompetent teachers. The AFT in our nation’s schools is a good example of this. Our salary schedules do not reward hard work and dedication. The result is mediocrity.

[queenbeee]

In 2020. I chose to homeschool. My kids did so well that we continue to homeschool. They have plenty of peers from different groups that they are involved in to keep them very social. For us it's a win-win.

[bmoturtleco]

As someone who works in public education, I advise all parents who will listen to homeschool or send their kids to a private school. Public schools have nothing to do with actual education anymore. Kids will be better off if they never step foot in a public school. Our system is broken and needs to be dramatically updated and improved.

[palaceofwisdom]

Union teachers are almost impossible to fire due to their contract. Why are bureaucrats given a total free pass for agreeing to those terms anew every several years?

[chesspwn]

My mom is a teacher and she's always complaining about all the mandates places on her how to run her class. She would love for school choice to continue to grow and reach her area so she can teach without spending half her day grading tests

[garygrant]

My teenage grandaughter is being home schooled for the first time. The distractions by other students and the lack of good teachers who cant control or teach well, is the problem.

[alekseymel]

My daughter goes to charter school in South Florida. Absolutely best decision I have ever made. Thank god I live in the state that gave me a choice.

[mathrocks]

The teacher’s union is corrupt. Now maybe they will teach Math, English and Science not CRT

[alleistervoosen]

Minneapolis resident here. We used to have great education here. Now it's a friggin mess. It's full of Marxists and other authoritarians. When the guy said "incentivized collaboration", my skin crawled. He means coercion, but he's not even honest enough to say it.