Celebrating School Choice
It’s National School Choice Week—and people across the country are celebrating. I’m thankful for the leadership of Governor McMaster, Superintendent of Education Weaver as well as legislative leaders here in South Carolina, who have made school choice a priority in the Palmetto State.
As a parent, I believe parents know what’s best for their individual child. Whether it’s public, public charter, private, parochial, or homeschool, each parent should be encouraged and celebrated as they make the decision for each individual child. For my own children, it was a mix—and it was a decision made by my wife and me based on the individual needs of our daughter and son.
I’ll never forget the input of numerous teachers in my K-12 and collegiate experience that guided me along the way, whether it was Mrs. Wood, Miss Thurston, Mrs. Cave, Mr. Rupp, Mr. Fincham, Mrs. Abrams, or Dr. Matzko. Each one of them, along with several others along the way, made an indelible impact on my life that challenged me to strive harder and be a lifelong learner.
Education is an issue with which I’ve long been involved. My undergraduate degree is in education, and I remember well the discussions I had with Governor David Beasley about improving education. During his term, South Carolina became the first state in the nation to have every public school wired for the internet. He also championed efforts to increase teacher pay while implementing educational standards and education accountability.
Several years later, I led an advocacy organization that sought to help parents who wanted a better education for their children but couldn’t afford it. There’s one mother that I will never forget. She wanted what was best for her high school son. He had been promoted time and again—but still lacked basic reading skills, even as a high school student. She sat and cried in my office, lamenting the lost opportunities for her son. As a single mother, she sought help and was hopeful that the school choice legislation we were advancing in the South Carolina legislature would pass and benefit her son. But no, it took decades for meaningful school choice to take shape here in the Palmetto State.
During those fights in the General Assembly, I especially remember the resilience of then-State Representative Tim Scott (R-Charleston), who tirelessly fought for children in South Carolina to have school choice. Scott truly believes in the “magic” of education and has said, “Every child—no matter their zip code—should have access to an education that sets them up to live out their version of the American Dream.” I concur completely.
As we celebrate National School Choice Week this year, it is my hope that the South Carolina General Assembly will continue to provide additional resources to help parents choose what’s best for their individual child. It’s also my hope that all of us who serve in education strive to do what’s best for children across South Carolina—no matter their zip code.
To read the Governor’s School Choice Proclamation, click this link!
Randy Page serves as executive vice president of Palmetto Family Council. He also serves on the boards of the Charter Institute of Erskine and Exceptional SC. Page previously served as vice chairman of the South Carolina Public Charter School District Board of Trustees.