The Democratic Crackup Continues | Eastern North Carolina Now

Publisher's note: This post, by Bob Luebke, was originally published in Civitas's online edition.

    The great crack-up continues.

    Several weeks ago I highlighted a fissure in the Democratic coalition could help decide the outcome of next fall's elections. More and more pro school choice minority parents are challenging Democratic candidates who embrace the teacher's unions and oppose school choice options like charter schools.

    At a rally at Clark University in Atlanta, candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, Senator Elizabeth Warren, was continually interrupted by chants of "Our Children, Our Choice" by parents who opposed Warren's plan to end federal funding for charter schools and wore T-shirts that read, "Powerful Parents Network."

    Minority parents are dissatisfied with the current education system and want more education options. A January 2019 Civitas Poll found that if a parent could send a child to any school, 32 percent of whites would send the child to a traditional public school. Only 20 percent of blacks chose traditional public schools. If money was not a factor, 74 percent of black respondents would choose charter, private or home schools, compared to 63 percent of whites.

    Warren's education plan is all about limiting options to public schools only, and parents are concerned about losing choices for their children.

    How strong is Warren's commitment to the public schools? Not very. While teaching at the University of Texas, Warren sent her son, Alexander to Kirby Hall, an elite private school in a suburb of Austin.

    Typical progressive. Tell people what to do and make sure you don't have to play by the same rules.

    Parental angst and hypocrisy only fuels the anger of minorities and other school choice advocates. Expect to see more such demonstrations.