What Black Parents in DC Think of Charter Schools

Black families in D.C. are “flocking” to charter schools, the Washington Examiner reported. Eighty-three percent of students in charter schools during the 2014-2015 school year were black. Sixty-seven percent of students in traditional government schools are black, down from 71 percent in 2011-2012:

There are a number of reasons black families might prefer charter schools to traditional public schools.

“Parents like the quality education, academic rigor, diverse programs and innovative approaches that public charter schools offer,” Darren Woodruff, Chairman of the D.C. Public Charter School Board, told the Washington Examiner. “And they particularly appreciate the many choices available, including Montessori, extended day, year-around, language immersion and more….The Black Alliance for Educational Options believes that America should not be a place where only people with financial resources and privilege get to decide where and how their children are educated. As a result, we advocate for low-income and working class black families to have the same access to high quality educational options in traditional public schools, public charter schools and private schools.”

Democrats advocate “choice” to kill babies, but they oppose giving black parents a way out of traditional government schools. The Washington Examiner reported that demand for charter schools usually exceeds the supply.

Black Americans who want more educational choices for their children should stop voting for the party that opposes them.

In 1995, the Republican-controlled U.S. Congress passed the District of Columbia School Reform Act of 1995, which led to more charter schools in D.C.

Also see the following Star Parker columns:

• We must break teachers unions, get school choice
• Freedom is best way to help low-income students
• School voucher ruling supports religious freedom

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