Today, in Upper Senate Park (across the street from the Capitol Building) thousands of kids, parents, and interested parties, cried out in unison: “Put Kids First!” Seems like it should be common sense, but, sadly, here in Washington, common sense rarely rules the day. The kids at the rally were from charter and parochial schools in DC that were a part of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program. The program is highly successful and keeps kids out of failing, violent schools. It is truly sad that Washington is ruled by special interest groups instead of common sense.
It is still unbelievable to Virginia Walden-Ford, president of the Black Alliance for Educational Options, that she has to, once again, fight for this program. she fears that as goes DC, so goes the country. That is bad news for students all across the country living in poverty who can’t afford to attend private schools and are forced into under performing schools.
This is why so much effort and attention is focused on DC. We need to keep this program alive in DC because the kids in DC are the most at risk. DC has some of the highest drop out rates among high school students. The DC Opportunity Scholarship program helps those most in need, and Congress wants to stop it.
