I write often about education issues in South Carolina – about the abject (and increasingly expensive) failure of the one-size-fits-all status quo and the rampant waste and self-dealing of its many minions. Lately, I’ve been writing more about efforts by teachers and administrators to indoctrinate students in the Palmetto State’s government-run schools – filling their heads with all manner of left-leaning groupthink.
I also write often about the abject (and ongoing) failure of state lawmakers to adopt meaningful market-based reforms – like school choice.
Such reforms – which focus on improving academic outcomes as opposed to catering to the demands of educrats and teachers unions – are more important than ever in the aftermath of the great Covid-19 reset, which saw a fundamental erosion of parental rights across the nation.
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While I like to think my news outlet plays some small role in advancing these debates, I know I am not the real driver of this discussion. The real drivers are engaged parents who make the conscious decision to take strong, principled stands on behalf of their children. I am talking about parents who are willing to join forces to assert their rights – and to call on local and state leaders to expand those rights.
One of these parents – Steph Berquist – sat down with me in our new studio this week to discuss how she got involved in the burgeoning parental rights movement in the Palmetto State.
“The silver lining of Covid is that parents are awake – not ‘woke,’” Berquist told me. “There is a difference. We have seen what is going on in our schools – the indoctrination, the corruption (and) the removal of what I consider to be parental autonomy.”
In addition to her advocacy on behalf of her own children, Berquist talked about her experience with a new campaign called Bonds for the Win – which offers parents a novel new way to challenge local elected officials who are suspected of violating district policies, state statutes or federal laws.
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Additionally, she addressed the importance of passing real school choice – which would (at long last) give parents a level of control over their children’s educations that they have been denied for decades.
“Everybody needs to make the best choice for their child, and now that we see what’s going on we have to be able to choose,” she said. “The thing that I want people to think about is: Why are the school districts, why is SC for ED, why is the S.C. Department of Education using all of their monetary and muscle power to fight these bills?”
“Why are they so afraid of giving choice?” Berquist said.
Regular readers of this news outlet know the answer to that question … the government hates competition.
I hope our audience will enjoy my conversation with Berquist. And if you are a parent looking to get involved in her movement, check out the United Parents of South Carolina Facebook page …
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
(Via: FITSNews)
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children. Oh, he also has LOTS of hats … but has given them up for Lent this year.
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