We Are Parent Choice Advocates and Want Our Children to Be Taught A Full Accounting of Our Nation’s History
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I would like to caution all my friends who support parental choice. The language used during the recent election season has brought us to a perilous juncture. While we celebrate the victory of candidates who advocate for a parent’s freedom to select the most suitable school for their child, regardless of their political ideology, we must also raise our voices against any potential distortion of our long-standing struggle for parental empowerment through school choice.
As experts analyze the data from political races, they may attempt to categorize all supporters of parental choice under the same umbrella. Let me be clear, we are not a singular voting bloc that opposes an accurate depiction of our nation’s history in our children’s education. We do want our children to learn about slavery and the lasting impact of racism.
Related: An Exploration of Critical Race Theory and the Modern ‘Massive Resistance’
There are individuals who genuinely believe that the ideal learning environment for their child does not include Toni Morrison’s novels in the curriculum. And that is acceptable. They can exercise their choice just as we can exercise ours. However, I beseech my peers in the education reform movement to prevent a highly esteemed and esteemed author within the Black community from being vilified as a contentious political subject.
I implore those of us in the parental choice community to unambiguously express our support for parents’ right to choose and educators’ ability to develop a curriculum that truthfully empowers our children, enabling them to be bolder and better prepared for the future by learning about the history of their ancestors.
This year’s political campaigns may portray parent choice advocates as aligned with a particular political party solely because of our shared interest in public charter schools. However, this is simply not true. Let us not allow politicians to manipulate our advocacy to suit their own agenda.
As a Black parent and the leader of the Freedom Coalition for Charter Schools, I am acutely aware that education choice is not only a successful political platform but also a sound policy. Our coalition, which encompasses 250 organizations across 21 states and serves over 1 million Black and Brown families, firmly believes that parents should have the freedom to choose the best schools for their children, regardless of their socioeconomic status or geographical location. We fight for these liberating freedoms each and every day.
Related: Watch a Recap of Four Black Mothers Discussing Parent Activism, Self-Determination, and the Struggle for Educational Change Post-Pandemic
We cannot allow the concept of parental choice to be distorted by those who argue against CRT, especially considering that, at best, they are unaware that it is an academic theory discussed in graduate schools, and at worst, they are using it as a veiled argument against children learning the truthful history of our nation.
I firmly believe that children will become more responsible citizens if they are exposed to both the dark and beautiful aspects that make America the promising nation it is today.
RaShaun Kemp serves as the executive director of the Freedom Coalition for Charter Schools, an organization dedicated to advancing and safeguarding the right of self-determination for Black and brown individuals through the promotion of public charter schools and chartering.
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