yes. every kid. foundation. is excited to announce the inaugural class of No More Lines Fellows. These fellows will bring their experience and voice to raise awareness about the injustice of families being barred from accessing public schools that work best for their children.
In the coming weeks, we will highlight each of our fellows on our blog. This first post is from Dr. Keri D. Ingraham.
Education freedom is my passion. I’ve been working in education for two decades, including as a national consultant, requested conference speaker, head of school, virtual and hybrid academy director, administrator, classroom teacher, and athletic coach. Currently, I serve as a Fellow at Discovery Institute and Director of the Institute’s American Center for Transforming Education. Additionally, I am a Visiting Fellow at the Independent Women’s Forum.
Families—not politicians—should be empowered to decide how their children are educated. Yet, that is not the case in most of the country, as geography dictates which K-12 public school a child will attend. Without regard to a child’s needs, students are assigned to a public school based on their home address and the geographical boundaries of school districts.
For the parents who aren’t able to move to a different neighborhood, can’t afford tuition for a private school, or don’t have the flexibility to provide homeschooling, their children are restricted by those geographical lines.
Geographical lines do not bar families from selecting other government-funded resources. For example, public libraries, parks, and pools are accessible to all, as are public hospitals. When it comes to selecting a school, only K-12 public education restricts families based on their home address. Preschool and higher education allow admissions for students regardless of zip code. Private schools are the same. That needs to change.
It’s time to stop dictating where kids go to school and grant education freedom to all.
