The Heritage Foundation points out that education choice supporters won big in 2022 midterm elections and says proponents of empowering parents with education choice should be encouraged to see that the states that went big on choice policies in the last two years overwhelmingly reelected the policymakers who made it happen.
Fox News likewise notes that school choice has become an indelible part of local and national elections in the wake of the pandemic, and Jon Schweppe of the American Principles Project expects the newly elected state legislatures will be proposing measures related to education come January.
"When you look at who did well and who's been winning, it's the folks especially that were fighting against the excesses of the left -- wokeism, critical race theory in the schools, certainly the COVID stuff," Schweppe observes. "All these things come into play."
Opponents of education choice have long claimed that choice policies are politically unpopular – a position that continues to prove inaccurate. And the lesson from the midterms for lawmakers inclined to support education choice, Heritage says, is clear: Be not afraid!
"Education for a long time has been the product of the Democratic Party," Schweppe notes, "but I think that's changing."
But in order for the GOP to do better, he says the party will have to broaden its message. While leftists are motivated by an uncompromising agenda and "crazy" ideology, which he does not foresee changing, his organization will be standing up for and empowering parents to take control of their kids' education.
