Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) touted school choice as a policy of “empowering parents” and reflected on his own relationship with his mother in a Thursday op-ed published by the Washington Examiner.
“Parents are consistently conscious of the examples they set for their kids,” the junior senator from the Palmetto State wrote. “Their role in education is undeniable. Without a strong, guiding hand from my mother, I would be the kid who flunked four classes his freshman year of high school and was then lost to the system instead of a United States Senator.”
Scott, a longtime supporter of school choice, said fighting for the policy is “not a battle against anything; rather, it is a battle for something.”
“The sad reality is that while political officials are arguing with each other over educational choice, families are stuck in an education system that, in many cases, is failing them,” he wrote. “In the wake of the pandemic, students across the board suffered from learning loss, and students from low-income households were affected the most. It is estimated that students at low-income schools are 13 months behind their counterparts. That is unacceptable. Families deserve options that don’t leave their children straggling behind.”
Parents, he said, are the first and primary educators of their children and wield an unparalleled amount of influence over the formation of their children, even when they are in a classroom with a teacher.
“Whether it’s teaching them to walk or say their first words, parents have the power to spark imagination and set their children on a powerful trajectory,” he wrote. “That influence doesn’t end once the child enters the classroom. The guidance, direction, and opportunities that a parent exposes their child to are extremely important decisions.”
The South Carolina senator, who is running for reelection, touted the wide support school choice enjoys in the court of public opinion across all demographics and said that the policy is a way to empower parents with additional control over their children’s education.
“Just like my mama when I was growing up, parents today still want the best for their children,” the senator wrote. “They know that if you get even slightly behind in education, you are going to be way behind in life. They understand that we all don’t start in the same place, but the great equalizer is getting their kid a quality education … I’ve often said that education is the closest thing to magic. Parents have told me their firsthand experiences of that magic at work.”
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“I believe in empowering parents to advocate the future of their children and, by extension, the future of America. Education is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. It is the result of a partnership between parents and educators working together in the best interest of the children. The more choices parents have, the better chance their children have to succeed.”
