So Obama sends his kids to private school...big deal?

Rather then exposing the so-called 'hypocrisy' of our new President Elect, I think it is more interesting to perhaps expose the hypocrisy of the system we are living in. Our Constitution and our legal system, the backbone of upholding civil liberties and rights in this country, preach equality and opportunity for all. Unfortunately, outside of the legislature, there is a stark reality of systematically established, institutional hierarchies in almost all realms of the social. In the case of education, those that are less fortunate are stuck in under performing, under invested educational institutions, while those that are privileged have the option to choose from pristine college prep schools, with highly qualified teachers, the best resources available and an overall healthy learning environment.

Obama's choice highlights the very controversial issues surrounding education reform and the School Choice Movement. It is not that the President Elect doesn't support private schools and charter schools, but he also supports public education, and most importantly, what public education stands for in our society, and it's purpose in a democracy. Without free, K-12 public education we do indeed take the risk of controlling who has access to knowledge, therefore taking the risk of who has access to the democratic process.

Unfortunately, we are already living in a society that is creating this type of hierarchy based on privilege, and School Choice Illinois understands this. When our free public schools are not performing up to the standards of private institutions, and those institutions are only available if you have the means to attend, there becomes a two-tier educational system of haves and have-nots.

School Choice Illinois and other school choice advocacy groups across the nation are creating awareness about this crucial issue, as well as creating viable solutions as to how parents can have more control over their child's education. Unfortunately, as long as the issue of school choice is viewed as an issue between the right and the left or the "reformers" versus the "status quo," or even private versus public schools, people will remain uneducated about their rights and about what they can do to fight and advocate for more educational options across the state and the country. As far as we are concerned, as long as there remains a crisis in public education, and as long as solutions to the problems facing public education are solved, parents that might not have the financial options to send their children to different schools MUST have other options. Otherwise, we are leaving the most disadvantaged children behind, as well as creating an environment where the democratic process becomes irrelevant.