I have continued my reading, listening, and talking about Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) through the past month, and I remain convinced we are at the beginning of a revolution that will change the landscape of education in the United States. Nearly 25 states have now passed or are considering legislation to give families direct access to funds they can spend on homeschooling or private schools. The amounts vary, but the impact on my professional world will be quite deep. Many more of the people I consult with to create centers will be in an improved position to build and sustain successful programs.
My current hesitation to the spread of ESAs is a political one. The state legislatures currently promoting ESAs are also passing all kinds of laws I find abhorrent. I don’t share a world vision with these lawmakers, and I don’t want to be seen as condoning their anti-democratic actions. I can live with political disagreements, but these legislatures are disputing basic facts and violating democratic principles. I feel wary of jumping on a bandwagon being driven by such actors.
I have expressed my concerns with numerous friends who are political activists and veterans of legislative work, and they all encourage me to work with people where we agree and let things evolve from there. I appreciate the support, and I realize that this is how democracy is supposed to work. We all don’t have to agree on everything to work on some things together.
Also, I’m discovering that the ESA and school choice movement is full of people with whom I do share vision and goals. The field is quite bi-partisan, and I have already met many people who hold similar concerns about these state legislatures. Specificallly, I’m struck by what I see and hear as the sincere concerns these education activists have for giving low-income families an alternative to being stuck in their local public school with no options. I am hearing respect for DEI issues and goals, and a commitment that educational options need to be a normal part of family life, not just something for the most affluent and empowered.
Historically, Democrats have promoted solutions by offering alternative schools and programs within schools; Republicans have argued for vouchers and a wider range of private schools. However, I’m seeing that this dichotomy is an unhelpful oversimplification.
Recently, the New York Times described a rural Texas community, largely Republican, that is vehemently against the Governor’s plans for ESAs. The people in this town see the public school as an important hub, community center, and employer, and they have very few private options in their region. They fear that ESAs would drain people and funds from their school in a hurtful way, and they want to protect the community as they know it.
Meanwhile, The Daily Beast ran a story reflecting one of the ironies I’ve been discussing with others: that ESAs are already being used to counteract the extremist policies of the governor and the Florida legislature. Supporters of Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ issues, and other liberal or mainstream causes are setting up their own microschools or homeschooling centers and
funding them with ESAs.
I have also been introduced to a liberal push for vouchers dating back to the 1960s, through the writings of Jack Coons and Stephen Sugarman. Long ago, these fellows felt that low-income families ought to receive vouchers to make private schools an option for everyone. They felt that trusting parents to make choices for their children would work more efficiently than lobbying for school reform. I’m reading their 1978 book now, Education by Choice: the Case for Family Control, a detailed and thoughtful justification for their vision. Personally, I don’t see vouchers for private schools as a compelling solution for students wanting more freedom than any school can permit, but reading their words from across the decades is quite inspiring.
Crossing perceived political lines can feel daunting. One of my lessons is that the lines are far more porous and curvy than we may believe. For example, I know there are millions of conservatives who currently want to work with liberals on specific issues, such as legal abortion access and gun control. I imagine stepping out against current cultural norms is difficult for everyone. This exploration of ESAs takes me into some new territory that is challenging given our current national politics, and I’m working to learn what I can from this opportunity.
I welcome comments from those of you who have been down this path in your own way.
