THE JIM CROW PLAYBOOK, REVISITED
How School Choice Became the New Segregation
School Choice. The shiny, noble-sounding concept that promises freedom, opportunity, and a buffet of educational options for parents and students. But peel back the glossy brochure, and what you’ll find is a system that’s less about "choice" and more about segregation, privatization, and the slow but steady dismantling of public education. If Jim Crow had a modern-day cousin, it would look suspiciously like school vouchers and charter schools dressed up in libertarian rhetoric.
Milton Friedman: The Architect of Chaos
Fast forward to today, and Friedman’s vision has blossomed into a full-blown movement. His foundation, now known as EdChoice, has worked tirelessly to promote school choice programs across 32 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. But let’s not forget: the intellectual groundwork for school choice was laid in response to desegregation. It wasn’t about freedom; it was about exclusion.
Segregation 2.0: Schools Are More Divided Than Ever
Here’s the kicker: schools are more segregated today than they were under Jim Crow. That’s not hyperbole—it’s cold, hard data. School choice policies have exacerbated racial and economic divides by funneling public money into private schools that can cherry-pick their students. And let’s be honest: when private schools have the "choice," they often choose wealthier, whiter students while turning away those who might require extra resources—students with disabilities, English language learners, or kids from low-income families.
Even voucher programs marketed as tools for equity have a funny way of benefiting affluent families who were already sending their kids to private schools. Meanwhile, public schools in majority Black and low-income districts are left to scrape by with dwindling resources. It’s like robbing Peter to pay Paul—except Peter is a struggling public school and Paul is a ritzy private academy with a swimming pool shaped like a dollar sign.
Billionaire Meddling: Destroying Public Education One Check at a Time
Now let’s talk about the billionaires—the puppet masters behind this privatization circus. Many of them attended elite private schools themselves and have absolutely no clue about the value of public education or its role in fostering community and patriotism. They see public schools not as institutions of learning but as inefficiencies to be "disrupted."
Empowered by the infamous Citizens United decision, which opened the floodgates for unlimited political spending, these billionaires have been pouring money into campaigns and organizations that champion school choice. They’re not doing this out of the goodness of their hearts; they’re doing it because privatization is profitable. Public education is one of the last big pots of taxpayer money that hasn’t been fully exploited by private interests—and they want their slice of the pie.
Take Arizona, for example. Its universal voucher program was projected to cost $65 million but ballooned to over $700 million, creating a budget crisis that led to cuts in other critical services like healthcare and transportation. And Arizona isn’t alone—states across the country are finding that voucher programs are fiscal black holes that drain resources from public schools while failing to deliver better academic outcomes.
The Myth of "Choice"
Let’s pause for a moment to unpack the word "choice." It’s a lovely word, isn’t it? It evokes images of freedom and empowerment—parents as savvy consumers picking the perfect school for their child like they’re shopping for organic kale at Whole Foods. But in reality, "choice" often means choosing between bad and worse.
For rural communities, where private schools are as rare as unicorns, vouchers are practically useless. These areas suffer disproportionately from voucher programs because funding cuts to public schools leave them with fewer resources and options. And even in urban areas where private schools are plentiful, vouchers rarely cover the full cost of tuition, leaving low-income families unable to afford the "choice" they were promised.
Then there’s the issue of accountability—or lack thereof. Private schools receiving voucher funds aren’t held to the same standards as public schools. They can hire unqualified teachers, teach questionable curricula (flat Earth theory, anyone?), and discriminate against LGBTQ+ students with impunity. It’s like handing someone a blank check and saying, "Do whatever you want—just don’t tell me about it."
The Trojan Horse of Privatization
Here’s the dirty little secret: school choice isn’t about improving education; it’s about privatizing it. Years of deliberate underfunding have created a narrative that public schools are failing—when in reality, they’ve been set up to fail. This manufactured crisis is then used as justification for privatization schemes like vouchers and charter schools.
It’s a classic bait-and-switch: first, starve public schools of resources; then point to their struggles as evidence that privatization is necessary. It’s like breaking someone’s legs and then criticizing them for not running a marathon.
What Can We Do?
The good news is that this isn’t an irreversible trend—it’s a political choice, and political choices can be unmade. Here’s what you can do:
1. Demand Full Funding for Public Schools: Call your state legislator and insist on increased investment in public education. Public schools don’t fail because they’re inherently flawed; they fail because they’re chronically underfunded.
2. Support Pro-Public Education Candidates: Vote for politicians who prioritize public education over privatization schemes. Billionaires may have deep pockets, but we have ballots—and democracy still counts for something (we hope).
3. Protest Privatization: Join local movements and organizations fighting against school vouchers and other privatization efforts. Make your voice heard at town halls, rallies, and on social media.
4. Educate Yourself and Others: Knowledge is power. Share articles like this one (wink) and educate your friends and family about the dangers of school choice policies. Arm yourself with facts—and maybe a witty comeback or two—for those inevitable debates at Thanksgiving dinner.
Conclusion: Choose Wisely
School choice may sound like progress, but it’s really a step backward—a return to segregationist policies dressed up in modern-day marketing jargon. It’s time to stop pretending that vouchers are about equity or opportunity when they’re really about exclusion and profit. Public education is one of America’s greatest achievements—a cornerstone of democracy that deserves our protection and investment. So let’s choose wisely—not just for our children but for our collective future.
School Vouchers and the growing threat to public education | First Focus on Children https://firstfocus.org/resource/school-vouchers-issue-brief/
The ‘Catastrophic Failure’ of School Vouchers https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/school-vouchers-catastrophic-failure
How school choice policies evolved from supporting Black students to subsidizing middle-class families https://theconversation.com/how-school-choice-policies-evolved-from-supporting-black-students-to-subsidizing-middle-class-families-252481?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=bylinetwitterbutton via @ConversationUS
Rapidly expanding school voucher programs pinch state budgets https://stateline.org/2025/05/20/rapidly-expanding-school-voucher-programs-pinch-state-budgets/
