The Myth of Choice

Phony “choice” has been in the works a long time.

The only "choice" is the colors of the worms

From America 2000, p. 31, the George H.W. Bush/Lamar Alexander/Chester Finn plan for education reform:

“Q: Will choice apply to private schools as well as public? Will it apply to religiously affiliated schools?

“A: It will apply to ALL schools except where the courts find a constitutional bar. The power of choice is in the parents’ leverage both to change schools and to make change in the schools. The definition of ‘public school’ should be broadened to include any school that serves the public and is held accountable by a public authority.” [emphasis added]

To understand what this means, ask these three questions:

1. What is meant by "constitutional bar”?
2. Define “serves the public.” Private Christian schools do not serve the public. They do serve their church community. They “choose” the students they admit. Do they fit this definition?
3. Define “held accountable by a public authority.” What about a church school that determines that they cannot follow the accountability standards as defined by the “public authority”?

Elected leaders need to know that the grassroots are not fooled by “choice” rhetoric! 

This is an excerpt from an article published in the Iowa Report (the name before Free World Research Report), dated Nov. 1992.