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President Donald Trump’s support of school choice has become an important issue in the 2024 presidential race, according to a new op-ed from a leading educational expert.
In an opinion piece for the New York Post, senior fellow at the American Federation for Children and school choice advocate Corey DeAngelis wrote, “The difference between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in November could not be clearer when it comes to education.”
DeAngelis pointed out that Trump believes parents should decide where their children attend school and that the money should go with the child, wherever they choose.
He cited a May Truth Social post in which Trump wrote, “As I have long said, School Choice is the CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE of our time, and parents must have a voice in their child’s education! When I am your President again, I will protect Parental Rights, support Teachers, and expand Educational Freedom for all American Families!”
Trump also named DeAngelis “A FIGHTER for Parental Rights.” He recommended DeAngelis’ book, “The Parent Revolution,” as a “great guide to help Moms and Dads take back control of their children’s education from the RADICAL MARXISTS ruining our schools.”
DeAngelis recounted how teachers’ unions fought against reopening schools during the pandemic. He also emphasized that remote learning revealed the level of far-Left indoctrination being taught to students.
In a USA Today interview with Jon Valant, director at the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution, Trump’s leadership in school choice was also highlighted.
“President Trump supports universal school choice so that parents can send their children to the public, private, or religious school that best suits their needs, their goals, and their values… President Trump commends Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, and West Virginia for leading the American school choice revolution – and he looks forward to working with other states, as well as the U.S. Congress, to provide for universal school choice for every American family,” he said.
Parents began demanding school choice nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic as videos and schoolwork went viral on social media. DeAngelis noted that school choice has advanced more over the last three years than the last 30 years.
Meanwhile, Harris is all-in with teachers’ unions and supports their far-left radical policies. Shortly after stepping up as the presumptive nominee after President Joe Biden’s sudden exit, Harris spoke at the American Federation of Teachers convention. She called the union’s president, Randi Weingarten, “a force” and an “adviser.”
Weingarten was a predominant voice during the pandemic fight that kept children from returning to school, including lobbying the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to keep schools shut down.