The Choice Backlash

The National Education Association made headlines in July when delegates to its annual convention voted to oppose school choice. Though limited local versions were omitted from the NEA’s hitlist, the nation’s largest organization of educators basically rejected the principle that parents and children should be able to select the school they favor. Not long before, the American Association of School Administrators had declined to endorse choice. The National School Boards Association okayed it as a “local option” only. The head of the National Association of Secondary School Principals pronounced choice a “magic word” apt to cause more trouble than gain. And the congressman with probably the greatest sway over federal education policy—House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Augustus Hawkins—declared that choice was apt to “sidetrack” efforts to strengthen education.

All this happened within the span of six months. During the same half-year period, three more states—Arkansas, Iowa, and Nebraska—followed Minnesota’s lead and adopted statewide public-school choice plans. Several others—California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Idaho, and Arizona—came closer to embracing similar policies. A number of cities, notably including Seattle and Boston, installed local choice programs, magnet schools continued to flourish, and President Bush and his education secretary declared choice to be the linchpin of their strategy for educational improvement.

About the Author

Chester E. Finn Jr.

Mr. Finn is the president emeritus of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute and a senior fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution.

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The National Education Association made headlines in July when delegates to its annual convention voted to oppose school choice. Though limited local versions were omitted from the NEA’s hitlist, the nation’s largest organization of educators basically rejected the principle that parents and children should be able to select the school they favor. Not long before, the American Association of School Administrators had declined to endorse choice. The National School Boards Association okayed it as a “local option” only. The head of the National Association of Secondary School Principals pronounced choice a “magic word” apt to cause more trouble than gain. And the congressman with probably the greatest sway over federal education policy—House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Augustus Hawkins—declared that choice was apt to “sidetrack” efforts to strengthen education.

All this happened within the span of six months. During the same half-year period, three more states—Arkansas, Iowa, and Nebraska—followed Minnesota’s lead and adopted statewide public-school choice plans. Several others—California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Idaho, and Arizona—came closer to embracing similar policies. A number of cities, notably including Seattle and Boston, installed local choice programs, magnet schools continued to flourish, and President Bush and his education secretary declared choice to be the linchpin of their strategy for educational improvement.