Educational freedom

Richard A. Sokerka

Next week there is reason to celebrate not once, but twice. It is not only Catholic Schools Week in our Diocese and across the country but it is also National School Choice Week in America. That these two week-long celebrations run concurrently show how parochial schools and school choice are inseparably linked to each other to provide parents with the opportunity to give their children the best education possible. That’s true educational freedom.

President Donald Trump brought attention to the issue of school choice at a White House roundtable event last month. “We believe that every parent should have educational freedom for their children,” he said. “Earlier this year, I asked Congress to pass a federal tax credit to support state-based scholarship programs so we can provide more than 1 million more students with school choice. People want school choice.”

Unfortunately, members of the House of Representatives have had only one thing on their minds for a very long time, and sadly, it is not educational freedom for our children.

Lawmakers in 44 states have empowered parents to choose a better future for their children through tax-credit scholarship programs. New Jersey isn’t one of the 44, but neighboring Pennsylvania is.

And here’s what Myles Slade-Bowers, a Catholic school student helped by the tax-credit scholarship had to say at the White House. “I am a current student at Bishop McDevitt High School — one of the best schools in my home state of Pennsylvania. I would just like to take a moment to thank all the leaders within the Trump administration for their continuous work in advancing tax-credit scholarship programs — like the one that allows me to attend my school.

“School choice opens up doors that would otherwise be slammed shut. Speaking as a young African American male from a low-income neighborhood, you know, it’s more likely that I would be a dropout of high school or even in prison at this very moment than speaking before you, discussing the importance of education freedom for all children, despite zip codes, despite backgrounds, despite race. I believe that all American children deserve a fair chance at education equality.”

The key to success for any child is a good education. And we believe that parents are best equipped to choose what is the best educational opportunity for their children. Parents have the right to make that choice for their children. In the State House in New Jersey and in the House of Representatives, it is high time for our elected officials to pass legislation for tax-credit scholarships to parochial and private schools, so that all children have the same opportunity that Myles Slade-Bowers has now. True educational freedom will change lives forever.