Teachers union boss ripped for claiming school choice undermines democracy

WASHINGTON (CITC) — The leader of one of the nation's largest teachers unions is under fire for claiming methods of school choice undermine "democracy."

American Federation of Teachers (AFT) president Randi Weingarten made the comparison at the "Network for Public Education Action" national conference in October. In a clip of her remarks, which went viral on social media this week, the union leader can be heard criticizing school choice advocates.

"They have not one thing that they offer as a solution other than privatizing or voucherizing schools," Weingarten said. "Which is about undermining democracy and undermining civil discourse and undermining pluralism."

"They just divide," she continued, noting that 90% of U.S. students currently attend public schools.

Proponents of school choice measures have rebuked Weingarten's remarks, arguing offering more education options to families accomplishes the opposite of what the union leader claims.

"This country was founded on the principle of individual rights. There is nothing democratic about forcing kids to remain in failing schools," Angela Morabito, a spokesperson for the Defense of Freedom Institute (DFI) and former press secretary for the U.S. Department of Education, told Crisis in the Classroom (CITC). "The right choice for our country's future is to allow families to access the schools where their children learn best."

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“Randi's utopia is to have every kid in America stuck in a classroom that prioritizes failing standards, identity politics, and frivolous days of the year over academic achievement," Michele Exner, a senior advisor at Parents Defending Education (PDE) told CITC. "She was the champion of school closures and is one of the main reasons students are suffering from historic learning loss."

Recent polling suggests support for school choice is on the rise. A July poll by RealClear Opinion Research found that 71% of registered U.S. voters now back school choice, representing a 7% increase since April 2020.

A breakdown of the same poll revealed that support is shared across most demographics, with 73% of Black voters and 71% of both White and Hispanic voters indicating their approval of school choice. Additionally, more than 65% of registered Democrats, Republicans and Independents were found to express support.

READ MORE | Will school choice keep up the momentum in 2024? It depends who you ask.

Nearly 20 states passed measures either establishing or expanding upon school choice this year. The momentum appears to be continuing into 2024, as Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee proposed last month expanding his state's existing school choice program to provide all students with partial funding.

Several Republican presidential candidates have also made school choice a component of their campaigns. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has touted her ability to previously expand her state's school choice program, while Vivek Ramaswamy has called for "school choice on steroids," which he says would include defunding the U.S. Department of Education.

CITC reached out to AFT for comment, but did not immediately receive a response. This story will be updated if a response is received.

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