Education has been a top priority for conservatives concerned about the deteriorating state of American schooling. Many on the right have championed school choice proposals as a free market model for education, helping families choose the best options available while cutting back on the government’s role in the process. Still, some conservatives think it’s too good to be true.
Driven by baseless conspiracy theories and bolstered by fearmongering tactics, many conservatives now see educational choice as a Trojan horse for getting leftist ideas into what were once right-of-center havens.
A prime example of this fear of school choice comes from Missouri. Senate Bill 727 expands eligibility for Missouri’s Empowerment Scholarship program, a tax credit that helps students access the best education for their needs. SB727 has passed in the Senate and is under review in the House. Over the past few weeks, the bill has faced unwarranted social media backlash from the homeschool community as many contend that the bill would force all homeschool families in the state to register with the government and sacrifice their autonomy.
In reality, both the current law and the proposed legislation have no such mandate for homeschooling families. By participating in the tax credit scholarship program, families can access funds to support their children’s educational needs without completely sacrificing their autonomy to government oversight. But families only need to register if they voluntarily opt into the program, and SB727 goes to great lengths to differentiate between families who choose to participate and those who choose not to enroll, labeling enrolled families as Family Paced Education groups instead of homeschool families.
Despite these clear distinctions, the opposition in Missouri has labeled education savings accounts as “state heroin” and SB727 as “a disaster of epic proportions.” Some groups are even going as far as holding meetings to bash the bill, perpetuating misinformation and undermining the genuine benefits of school choice for families across the state.
This trend is not unique to Missouri and is pushing some conservatives away from the proposals they once championed. Similar misconceptions are echoed in states such as Tennessee, where school choice legislation is also under consideration. Despite overwhelming support from constituents, voices on the right are equating school choice with government control of private education. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Conservatives must remember the principles on which school choice is based: freedom, opportunity, and empowerment. Providing families with the flexibility to choose the education that best aligns with their values promotes innovation, competition, and accountability in education. This is not a partisan issue; it’s a means of ensuring that every child has access to a high-quality education, regardless of their ZIP code or socioeconomic status.
By opposing school choice initiatives, homeschool families inadvertently deny opportunities to other children in their districts. The benefits of school choice extend beyond individual families; they have the potential to uplift entire communities by eliminating a one-size-fits-all approach to education. School choice is a proven pathway to better outcomes for students, including higher academic achievement, increased graduation rates, and greater parental satisfaction.
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School choice is not a Trojan horse. It’s a beacon of hope for families seeking alternatives to traditional public schools. By empowering parents to make decisions that align with their children’s unique learning needs — whether that means traditional public schools, charter schools, private schools, or homeschooling — it fosters competition, innovation, and accountability across the entire education system.
If we want better schooling for our children, it’s vital to fight back against misinformation and stand up for school choice initiatives.
Cait Dexter is a grassroots trainer at Americans for Prosperity and a member of the Young Voices contributor program.