A group of AP Government seniors accompanied social studies department chair, Greg Haas, to the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington D.C. this week for a forum on "the freedom to choose academic excellence for every child.” The event was sponsored by Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), and included various guests, including Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, and Executive Director of the secretariat of Catholic Education (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops), Sister John Mary Fleming.
Private and Catholic school students from around the area gathered in the conference room and heard arguments in favor of school choice, which proponents contend let parents use public funds to choose schools that work best for them, whether they be public or private, religious or secular. Panelists discussed, among other things, needs-based scholarships, charter school funding, and school vouchers.
Senator Scott, keynote speaker and author of the CHOICE Act (Creating Hope and Opportunity for Individuals and Communities through Education), spoke about the need to allow at-risk children access to superior schools through Department of Education (DOE) scholarships for qualified learners. This speech and his work is rooted in a low-income childhood with minimal resources.
“I was surprised how interesting the trip was,” commented senior Marty Knauf. “Senator Scott had an amazing story and I learned a lot about how people care so much about our education. It was pretty legit.”
Sister Fleming had a different take than Senator Scott. She focused more on the need for choice in all communities and talked about the role Catholic schools play in education, offering a strong alternative to the public school system. At the core of her message was the Catholic school mission, one rooted in the life of Christ. She noted that parents need public funding to attend many Catholic schools and therefore it’d be beneficial for the Department of Education to open up scholarships to learners, especially in urban areas.
Senior Anna Flach noted the interest in private and Catholic schools by the panelists, commenting, “I kinda just took my education for granted. I never thought about the opportunity O’Connell gives me.”
Students ended their trip by meeting Governor Jindal, Senator Scott, and Sister Fleming. Another successful Social Studies outing!
