Lankford Supports Students’ Right to School Choice

WASHINGTON, DC – US Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Tim Scott (R-SC), Congressional School Choice Caucus co-chair, introduced a resolution declaring this week as National School Choice Week. Lankford and Scott were joined by Senators  Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Mike Braun (R-IN), Richard Burr (R-NC), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Steve Daines (R-MT), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rick Scott (R-FL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Todd Young (R-IN).

“Every child deserves the opportunity to dream of a bright future regardless of their zip code or socioeconomic status,” said Lankford. “Students should not be limited in their educational opportunity as they wait for improvement in their local school. I support the right of every parent and student to have open access to the best classrooms that meet their educational goals and I’m proud to sponsor the ‘National School Choice Week’ resolution to encourage that access. Families deserve to have the flexibility to decide what best meets the individual needs of their children.”

“Education is the closest thing to magic we have in America and is the most valuable gift we can pass down to our children,” said Scott. “Too often the education debate is centered on what we do here in Washington, instead of reflecting the conversations happening around dinner tables across the country. As the pandemic has shuttered schools and brought into sharp relief the challenges faced by working parents, it is clear we need to give families more options, not less. We need to empower parents and students to choose what’s right for their future and break every barrier to success because when our children succeed, America succeeds.”

In a time when COVID-19 has severely limited access to quality education for many, parents across the country continue to recognize the importance of school choice. According to a new survey released by the American Federation for Children, 72 percent of K-12 parents who work full-time support school choice.

“The education of our youth is a priority for all Hoosiers. Families should be allowed to choose the type of education that best suits their children’s needs. I’m proud to support National School Choice Week as we recognize and celebrate all kinds of learning opportunities for Hoosiers, especially during this pandemic,” said Young. 

“The ability to choose the educational path best suited for an individual child has always been important, and it is increasingly relevant in the midst of an ongoing pandemic,” Rubio said. “A zip code should not determine a child’s future. Parents should have as many options available to them as possible when they are deciding where to send their kids to school. I am proud to cosponsor this resolution that recognizes the profound significance of education options and the ability for parents to make the best choice for their family.”

“School choice means letting parents make decisions that put their children in the best position to succeed,” said Cramer. “Our resolution applauds each part of the education system for their role in training the next generation and urges parents to explore the opportunities available to them.”

Click here to read the full National School Choice Resolution.   

###