All opinions expressed in this article are solely the opinions of the contributors.
It’s no secret that the present-day United States of America is bitterly divided. I’m not just talking about differing political views but also ideological beliefs. The hyper-partisanship in Washington only serves to reinforce what many Americans already feel: that the schism between conservatives and liberals has widened too much.
From government spending to cancel culture and race relations, there are split views on so many issues that we can’t simply just chalk it up to a difference of opinions. We even disagree on U.S. history and the foundation of our great nation.
On one side stands the people who support critical race theory and believe America was founded on racism and oppression. The opposing viewpoint sees the U.S. as a beacon of liberty unlike any other in the history of mankind. That is not a difference of opinion. We’re talking about fundamentally different perspectives. It’s not just my opinion. Polling backs it up.
In a 2020 survey done by Pew Research just prior to the presidential election, 80% of Donald Trump supporters, and 77% of Joe Biden supporters said, regarding the opposition, “Not only do we have different priorities when it comes to politics, but we fundamentally disagree about core American values.”
Well, if half the country disagrees with the other half about “core American values,” what exactly can we expect public schools receiving federal funds to teach regarding the nature and purpose of our Constitution or about our nation’s history?
How can we expect a public school system to adequately serve children from families that hold such different points of view? The answer is: we can’t. This is why giving parents the freedom to choose the school they believe is best for their kids is the only sensible solution here. Parents have the right to want their kids to be taught within the prism of the values and viewpoints they believe in, and not be beholden to generalized lesson plans in an outdated universal public school system.
Parents deserve the freedom to choose the right education for their children. It’s time to give it to them.
