SC

“Public School Choice” Isn’t Choice

We’ve been hearing about so-called “public school choice” since the days of Jim Rex – South Carolina’s status quo superintendent of education turned failed gubernatorial candidate. This meaningless term provided welcome cover for state lawmakers wanting to seem supportive of “parental choice” – but also wanting maintain their supplicant relationship…

We’ve been hearing about so-called “public school choice” since the days of Jim Rex – South Carolina’s status quo superintendent of education turned failed gubernatorial candidate.

This meaningless term provided welcome cover for state lawmakers wanting to seem supportive of “parental choice” – but also wanting maintain their supplicant relationship with the taxpayer-subsidized elites at the S.C. Education Association (SCEA), S.C. School Boards Association (SCSBA) and S.C. Association of School Administrators (SCASA).

You know, the people “fighting for the kids.”

Anyway things haven’t changed much. Three familiar “Republicans in Name Only” – Wes Hayes, John Courson, and Larry Martin – continue to trot out “public school choice” legislation as some sort of solution while they do everything within their power behind the scenes to block meaningful market-based education reform.

In theory, their bill – S.313 – allows students to transfer to public schools in other districts. However in reality this legislation erects a host of bureaucratic barriers aimed at preventing a child from moving schools. Between strict limits on the percentage of transferring students – and required permission from administration in both residential and receiving districts – the number of students who would actually be able to enroll in a new school would be virtually non-existent.

In other words, the sponsors of this bill aren’t proposing anything the state’s education establishment has already deemed to be 100 percent “reform free.”

And so Hayes, Courson, and Martin will halfheartedly support the bill, knowing full well that it will quietly die on the vine before they start getting phone calls from superintendents and soccer moms complaining about poor black kids wanting to enroll in their “high-achievement” districts.

Everyone sees this “public school choice” ploy for what it is, but hardly anyone ever calls its supporters out.

Who isn’t afraid to do that? S.C. Sen. Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson).

“S. 313 may seem like a baby step towards universal school choice on its surface, but the bill doesn’t really ‘open’ very much,” Bryant wrote recently on his website. “It has a cap of 3 percent, so in reality it leaves 97 percent of the public children behind.”

Bryant adds that “S.313 is tainted with several loopholes that districts can maneuver to burden parents with children with unmet educational needs.”

We agree …

South Carolina is flooded with faux conservatives touting all sorts of “reform in name only.” This bill is yet another example of that – of Palmetto State politicians wanting to give the appearance of doing something while tens of thousands of children fall further behind.

Props to Bryant for having the courage to expose this “public school choice” fraud for what it is – and shame on Hayes, Courson and Martin for continuing to perpetuate it.

***

Related posts

SC

Midlands SC Community Mourns Beloved School Official

Will Folks
SC

South Carolina Mayor Dead Following Car Crash

Will Folks
SC

Palmetto Past & Present: How Columbia Became the Confederacy’s Currency Capital

Mark Powell

24 comments

Vanguard16 April 8, 2013 at 12:28 pm

Move or pay for private school tuition. You have that choice!!

Reply
Fleet April 8, 2013 at 1:12 pm

Actually, public school districts will let you have a choice within schools in that district. Each district has a criteria. Once again, Fits is cashing his once monthly, now weekly, and soon to be daily, check from Howie Rich.

Reply
Vanguard16 April 8, 2013 at 12:28 pm

Move or pay for private school tuition. You have that choice!!

Reply
Fleet April 8, 2013 at 1:12 pm

Actually, public school districts will let you have a choice within schools in that district. Each district has a criteria. Once again, Fits is cashing his once monthly, now weekly, and soon to be daily, check from Howie Rich.

Reply
Hugh April 8, 2013 at 12:41 pm

Superlative ass and legs. Oh, BTW, I hope she’s also a good teacher.

Reply
Hugh April 8, 2013 at 12:41 pm

Superlative ass and legs. Oh, BTW, I hope she’s also a good teacher.

Reply
CNSYD April 8, 2013 at 1:16 pm

Sic Willie must have an understanding mortgage company. Here it is the 8th of the month and he didn’t run his Howie piece til today. I hope Howie can direct deposit his check to Sic Willie to prevent Sic Willie from having to pay late fees.

Reply
Smirks April 8, 2013 at 1:51 pm

It is worth noting that Bryant is paid by Rich via campaign contributions.

Reply
CNSYD April 8, 2013 at 1:16 pm

Sic Willie must have an understanding mortgage company. Here it is the 8th of the month and he didn’t run his Howie piece til today. I hope Howie can direct deposit his check to Sic Willie to prevent Sic Willie from having to pay late fees.

Reply
Smirks April 8, 2013 at 1:51 pm

It is worth noting that Bryant is paid by Rich via campaign contributions.

Reply
Smirks April 8, 2013 at 1:52 pm

Say “no” to taxpayer-subsidized private schooling. If you want out of the public system, pay your own way.

Reply
Darcy Martin April 8, 2013 at 2:11 pm

Ok. I’ll pay my own way. But don’t send me a bill (tax) for the public education I choose not to receive for my child.

Reply
Fleet April 8, 2013 at 3:31 pm

What a bunch of crap-Don’t send me a bill for your Social Security or Medicare either then, or any other tax breaks that you enjoy and I don’t.

Reply
Jan April 8, 2013 at 5:18 pm

So Darcy, are you saying you favor the elimination of all public education? If so what should happen to those who cannot afford private education? Or are you saying only you should not have to pay for a public education system?

Reply
Smirks April 8, 2013 at 1:52 pm

Say “no” to taxpayer-subsidized private schooling. If you want out of the public system, pay your own way.

Reply
Darcy Martin April 8, 2013 at 2:11 pm

Ok. I’ll pay my own way. But don’t send me a bill (tax) for the public education I choose not to receive for my child.

Reply
Fleet April 8, 2013 at 3:31 pm

What a bunch of crap-Don’t send me a bill for your Social Security or Medicare either then, or any other tax breaks that you enjoy and I don’t.

Reply
Jan April 8, 2013 at 5:18 pm

So Darcy, are you saying you favor the elimination of all public education? If so what should happen to those who cannot afford private education? Or are you saying only you should not have to pay for a public education system?

Reply
Ken E. April 8, 2013 at 6:26 pm

Hey Fits, you forgot to do a find/replace for the word “public”, replacing it with “government”. At least be consistent.

Reply
Ken E. April 8, 2013 at 6:26 pm

Hey Fits, you forgot to do a find/replace for the word “public”, replacing it with “government”. At least be consistent.

Reply
9" April 10, 2013 at 4:10 am

Heterosexuality should be illegal.Stop making the little fucking bastards ,you goddamn whore mongers!

Reply
9" April 10, 2013 at 4:10 am

Heterosexuality should be illegal.Stop making the little fucking bastards ,you goddamn whore mongers!

Reply
Weaksquare April 11, 2013 at 2:57 pm

This is a sincere question. Exactly what good would public school choice do?

Reply
Weaksquare April 11, 2013 at 2:57 pm

This is a sincere question. Exactly what good would public school choice do?

Reply

Leave a Comment