Young minds, bureaucrats and union bosses

By Larry Sand
08/28/2018
School choice is advancing, but the monopolists continue to defend a failing system. As I mentioned in last week’s post, the latest bogus anti-school choice study being touted by the National Education Association was released in June. The report from the Network for Public Education (NPE) and the Schott Foundation contains all the usual gasp-worthy...

TAGS: Cato Institute, Corey DeAngelis, EdChoice, Education Next, ESA, Greg Forster, Larry Sand, Network for Public Education, Patrick Wolf, privatization, school choice, teachers union, vouchers

They don’t have to care

By Larry Sand
08/08/2017
Despite what union leaders say, competition makes everything better. A 1995 interview with the late Apple founder Steve Jobs has just resurfaced and is available on YouTube. While the interview, conducted by Computerworld’s Daniel Morrow, went on for 75 minutes, the 3:42 Jobs spent talking about education is memorable. The Silicon Valley visionary knew as...

TAGS: Alex Caputo-Pearl, American Federation of Teachers, Apple, EdChoice, free market, Greg Forster, Larry Sand, monopoly, National Education Association, Randi Weingarten, teachers union

Pot calls kettle racist

By Larry Sand
07/25/2017
Union leader sinks to a new low by hyping a worthless report and insulting millions of parents. When some people become frightened, they’ll say and do some amazingly asinine things. Utilizing that as a guide, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten is apparently scared spitless. With Supreme Court decisions on the horizon that could...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Betsy DeVos, Center for American Progress, Derrell Bradford, EdChoice, G.I. Bill, Greg Forster, Jeanne Allen, Kevin Chavous, Larry Sand, Randi Weingarten, Rick Hess, school choice, teachers union, vouchers

My Dear Randi,

By Larry Sand
06/06/2017
My Dear Randi, (This is the third in a series of open letters to American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. The prior missives can be seen here and here.) It has been almost two years since my last contact with you and boy, a lot has gone down in that time! My goodness, flowing...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Blaine Amendment, Greg Forster, Janus v. AFSCME, Kevin Chavous, Larry Sand, Patrick Wolf, Pell Grants, Randi Weingarten, school choice, tax credit scholarship, teachers union, Trinity Lutheran Church v. Pauley, vouchers

Two Guys Walk into a Party….

By Larry Sand
04/11/2017
Debunking teacher union talking points about school choice. Okay, so you’re at a cocktail party sipping brandy, and some rabid teacher union supporter starts mouthing off about Trump, DeVos, the evils of vouchers and, at the same time, waxing ecstatic about the glories of our traditional zip-code monopoly education system (Z MES). Now, you might...

TAGS: Betsy DeVos, EdChoice, education savings account, ESA, Greg Forster, Larry Sand, Lily Eskelsen Garcia, National Education Association, school choice, teachers union, voucher

School Choice and Its Foes

By Larry Sand
07/19/2016
My brief talk Saturday at FreedomFest identified those who try to deny school choice to the children of America and the tactics they use to do it.  On a recent panel at FreedomFest, a libertarian gathering held yearly in Las Vegas, I along with National School Choice Week President Andrew Campanella, Friedman Foundation State Programs...

TAGS: ACLU, Bob Bowdon, Choice Media, Florida Education Association, Friedman Foundation, Greg Forster, Jonathan Butcher, Larry Sand, National Education Association, National School Choice Week, school choice, tax credit scholarship, teachers union, Valerie Strauss, voucher, Zelman v. Simmons-Harris

A Mostly Merry Month for Educational Choice

By Larry Sand
05/24/2016
Those favoring educational freedom – and their enemies – have been busy in May. Overall, May has been a good month for the school choice movement despite a few lawsuits involving the teachers unions (so what else is new?). The Washington Education Association announced it would file suit by the end of the month challenging...

TAGS: education savings account, Florida Education Association, Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, Greg Forster, Jay Greene, Larry Sand, National Education Association, Patrick Wolf, Pell Grant, tax credit scholarship, teachers union, United Teachers of Los Angeles, Washington Education Association

Fixing Z Mess

By Larry Sand
01/26/2016
National School Choice Week aims to end our Zip-code Mandated Education System (Z MESS) and promote parent-power.  You: I’m going out to dinner tonight. Me: You are going to the restaurant down the street from where you live, right? You: No, it’s not very good. I am going to a restaurant across town; it has...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Charter schools, Florida Education Association, Friedman Foundation, Greg Forster, Larry Sand, Matthew Ladner, National Education Association, National School Choice Week, Randi Weingarten, teachers union, vouchers

Private v. Big Government-Unionized Schools

By Larry Sand
12/01/2015
If almost half the unionized workers at an auto plant could get a free Chevy as a company perk, but instead bought one made by non-union workers from a different car-maker, what would you think? A few weeks ago, Richard Stutman, head of the Boston Teachers Union, wrote a piece in which he delivered the...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Cato Institute, Fordham Institute, Greg Forster, James Tooley, Jason Bedrick, Larry Sand, teachers union, The Beautiful Tree

Nevada Electrifies the School Choice Movement

By Larry Sand
06/09/2015
The state known for flashy neon, quickie divorces and Wayne Newton shows is now ground zero for private school choice. On its website, the Nevada State Education Association informs us that vouchers (and other private school options) are unworthy because, among other things, they offer “no real ‘choice’ for the overwhelming majority of students.” This...

TAGS: education savings account, ESA, Friedman Foundation, Greg Forster, Larry Sand, Lily Eskelsen Garcia, National Education Association, Robert Enlow, teachers union, Zelman v. Simmons-Harris