Jay Z’s school choice initiative has captivated progressives. The water is wet.
This move has caused a lot of controversy, particularly among those on the left who oppose the idea that parents of black children should decide where their kids attend school.
The Philadelphia program is designed to give low-income Philadelphia students access to the top private schools.
Jay-Z’s talent agency, Roc Nation, will host events to inform residents about the proposed legislation being considered by the Pennsylvania Senate. The bill allocates up to $300,000,000 in scholarships for students with low incomes. The bill is similar to school-choice programs offered across the country, which give students the choice of attending private schools rather than underperforming public schools.
Dania Diaz is Roc Nation’s Managing Director for Philanthropy. She stated that this initiative aims to empower youth and families “to pursue their scholastic dream, make their voice heard, and become leaders of tomorrow.” Left-wing critics have criticized Jay-Z’s initiative for school choice as a betrayal and a sinister alliance with right-wing power.
Nikole Hannah-Jones, the author of the “1619 Project,” published a thread on X criticizing the voucher program. She claimed that voucher programs “have not been proven to improve outcomes for poor Black children because they cannot attend high-quality private schools.”
I really wish rich, out-of-touch folks who nothing about education would just stop. 1) Read the fine print. THIS IS A GOVT VOUCHER PROGRAM. Voucher programs have not been shown to improve results for poor Black children because most cannot get into high-quality private schools.… https://t.co/EAvAGFuYo1
— Ida Bae Wells (@nhannahjones) June 7, 2024
One user claimed that the initiative is “a Republican-led effort to dismantle our public schools spearheaded by future Trump cabinet member Jeffrey Yass.”
Jay-Z’s Roc Nation will spearhead an educational campaign in Philadelphia that helps students K-12 from low-income households secure about $300 million in scholarships to attend the city’s private schools.
Events will be held by Roc Nation to bring awareness to Pennsylvania… pic.twitter.com/yRmaaUC3jo
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) June 7, 2024
Isaiah Thomas, a Philadelphia City Councilmember, argued that “the scholarships provided through this program will not be paid by Roc Nation. They would be funded by taxpayers.” The politician didn’t seem to care that taxpayers are already funding substandard education by the government.
What people may not realize is these scholarships aren’t going to be paid for by Roc Nation, they would be paid for by taxpayers.
Roc Nation is not donating $300M, they’re leading an advocacy effort fighting for Harrisburg to pass legislation that will create these scholarships. https://t.co/dBR9XXPsR7
— Councilmember Isaiah Thomas (@CMThomasPHL) June 10, 2024
Black and Hispanic Americans make up a large portion of low-income residents, so having more options in education is a big plus for them. This demographic is likely to support school choice.
All Americans, regardless of their background or political affiliation, support school choice.
RealClear Opinion Research’s new poll conducted between June 27-30, 2023, among 1,000 registered voters shows that the concept of school selection is widely supported (71% against 13%). The policy is supported by both Democrats and Republicans, 66% of whom are in favor of it, and 69% of Independents. Additionally, 71% of Hispanics and 73% of Blacks support school choice.
Hannah-Jones and Councilmember Washington pretend to be concerned about minority children, but they are not.
Progressives think that it is the government, and not the parents, who should decide how and where children are educated. They believe the government is capable of solving any problem, including a substandard education. People who subscribe to this ideology are in favor of state-run education, despite the fact that they do not prepare children well for adulthood.
The partisan element is something we cannot ignore. This initiative will be rejected if it is perceived as being solely Republican-led, even though minority children may benefit. They prioritize Democratic empowerment above Black and Hispanic empowerment and vehemently oppose this initiative.
