Guest Columnist - The urgency of the School Choice - El Comercio de Colorado

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Hugo Chavez-Rey

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Chairman of Colorado Hispanic Republicans

Hispanic families are overwhelmingly in favor of School Choice. Education is the key to climbing the economic ladder of success. Minority communities where children struggle under the burden of underperforming schools are especially vulnerable and would benefit the most from the implementation of school choice.

Among the two major political parties, Republicans favor school choice, while Democrats, who are beholding to the powerful Teachers Union, oppose it. They throw up arguments that have no basis in fact. The most repeated objection is that the implementation of school choice would negatively affect the Public-School system. That is a lie. The facts and statistics do not support that assertion.

President Trump introduced the School Choice Now Act, which would help all students and teachers, not just those in district public schools. The facts are clear. Public Schools continue to receive local, state, and federal tax revenues, while private schools, especially those in lower income and working-class neighborhoods face very significant enrollment declines.

Tax monies should follow the student. It is not fair to trap students from lower income families in failing schools. That practice perpetuates the poverty level and serves to feed the increasing crime rate. According to most polls, the issue of school choice has the support of over 80% of Hispanic and African American families. It is the Democrat politicians, who are funded by the massive teachers Union, who continue to oppose this important initiative, and who stand in the way of something that is long overdue.

There are many failing public schools which should either be revamped or closed permanently. Competition is considered a good thing in every other facet of society. So why not in our education system? Under the current system an incompetent teacher cannot be fired because they are protected by unions. Our children suffer because of the power-hungry bureaucrats who do not want to kill their massive funding source. Meanwhile the children suffer, and the cycle of poverty is perpetuated.

Parents need to be educated about their options. All their options. It is the parents who have the power to affect change to this archaic and corrupt system of education. Statistics show very clearly that wherever parents have gotten involved change has been successfully implemented.

Parents who wish to learn how to get involved in this important issue can write to [email protected] and we will send out pertinent information.

This election, the choice is between two major parties. One which fully supports school choice (Republicans), and those who oppose it vehemently (Democrats). We urge Hispanic parents to choose wisely.