The school choice movement is no longer just a series of isolated legislative wins; it is a sweeping national mandate demanding parental rights and educational freedom.

Eighteen states paved the way with expansive education freedom programs that empower families to look beyond their zip codes. Alabama has proudly joined the front of that line, in terms of school choice opportunity, as we move towards universal eligibility.

Alabama Policy Institute has been impactful from the initial steps of the AAA Scholarship program, the introduction and expansion of charter schools, and with the historic passage of the CHOOSE Act. While early advocacy centered on students escaping failing schools, API’s mission has always been deeper.

We believe education freedom is fundamentally about family empowerment, and the shift toward universal Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) enables all Alabama families to choose learning environments that align with their core values and religious principles.

This shift toward true choice is precisely why public sector unions and entrenched “educrats” detest the CHOOSE Act with such fervor.

They recognize that an ESA isn’t just a policy tool; it is a reflection of America’s deepest constitutional commitments to parental rights, religious liberty, and strict limits on state power.

Our Founders understood that while a nation cannot be both ignorant and free, the state’s role in education must remain secondary (Jefferson, 1816). Parents are, and must always be, the primary educators and decision-makers for their children. While state government may set basic parameters, no government has the right to claim a monopoly over a child’s mind or soul.

As the Supreme Court reaffirmed in Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972), the primary role of parents in raising their children is an “enduring American tradition” that stands beyond debate.

We must confront the modern myth of the neutral classroom: there is no such thing. Every school teaches a worldview, whether through explicit curriculum or implicit values embedded in classroom routines and institutional norms.

Teachers, by the very nature of their work, make morality-based decisions and impose them upon students every single day: deciding which stories to amplify, how to frame history, and which behaviors to encourage.

As public schools became vessels for controversial agendas regarding race, gender, and sexuality, they forced parents into an impossible corner: either surrender their children to an environment that systematically undermines their beliefs or shoulder the financial burden of private/homeschooling on top of paying full freight for their seat at a public school in their zip code.

Despite the hardships, many families are opting out – not just for better test scores – but to retain their value system in the face of what often feels like purposeful public school propaganda.

That choice is made easier with the passage of the CHOOSE Act and we shouldn’t apologize for it. However, for school choice to be truly meaningful, we must remain vigilant in protecting the autonomy of private schools and homeschool families.

The Supreme Court has held that the “fundamental theory of liberty” upon which our government rests prevents the state from attempting to “standardize children” by forcing them to accept instruction from public teachers only (Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 1925).

This same principle must prevent government from standardizing homeschooling and private options through heavy-handed regulation; the Constitution protects the right of parents to choose schools that are substantially different from the state-run model.

Alabama’s public education system should reflect Alabama values and our shared commitment to freedom and self-government. API is committed to working towards that worthy goal – every single Alabama student deserves a high quality education.

In the meantime, education freedom opportunities honor the right of parents to direct decisions regarding the religious and educational upbringing of their children. The CHOOSE Act does just that.