‘This Is About Power and Control’: Advocates Push Back on Weingarten for Linking School Choice to Segregation
Black advocates for school choice argued on Monday that the ongoing debate about whether school choice promotes segregation is fundamentally about power and control. Howard Fuller, a professor at Marquette University and the founding president of the Black Alliance for Educational Options, stated that the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is trying to maintain authority over the education system. Fuller highlighted that unionized teachers report and pay dues to AFT leaders, such as Randi Weingarten, based on the number of students that remain in traditional public schools. Reducing these numbers would diminish the union’s political power. Fuller emphasized that the debate revolves around whose interests are being served.
The discussion, which has pitted supporters of school choice against union leaders, progressive advocates, and some congressional Democrats, ostensibly focuses on segregation. It began when the Center for American Progress released a report on the racist origins of private school vouchers. The debate escalated last week when Weingarten, in a speech at the AFT’s national conference, cited instances in which schools in Virginia closed instead of integrating and gave vouchers to white students. Weingarten likened private schools’ exemption from civil rights laws and disinvestment in public schools to forms of segregation.
Kevin P. Chavous, a board member of the American Federation of Children (AFC) and former Washington, D.C., city councilman, argued that Weingarten is ignoring history. He stated that the emergence of private schools for children of color resulted from the inadequate treatment of black individuals in traditional public schools. The AFT spokesman, responding in the background to a request for comment from , referred to Weingarten’s speech, which he claimed provides historical context on segregation and vouchers. Weingarten herself emphasized that the pioneers of private school choice were white politicians who resisted school integration.
Derrell Bradford, executive vice president of 50CAN, executive director of NYCAN, and a contributor to , rejected the notion that one could support both integration and the importance of neighborhood public schools. He argued that public schools are inherently tied to the housing system, which has its own racist origins. Bradford pointed out that New Jersey, despite having a constitutional provision against school segregation, still possesses some of the most segregated schools in the country. Similarly, New York City, where Weingarten once led the local union, should have highly diverse schools due to its population, yet it remains among the most segregated.
The advocates also refused to align school choice with President Donald Trump, who lacks popularity among many communities of color. Fuller emphasized that the fight for school choice in black families began long before Trump’s time. They reject the idea that because Trump supports school choice, it automatically becomes a bad thing. The AFT spokesman argued that since Education Secretary Betsy DeVos frequently discusses school choice, it is fair to connect it to her and the Trump administration.
The NAACP is preparing to release a report on charter schools this Wednesday, following their call for a moratorium on new charter school authorizations last fall. This news comes after a recent statement made by Weingarten, which signals to charter advocates that the battle extends beyond private school options and encompasses all school choice.
Charter school advocates participating in a conference call argued that it is acceptable for the NAACP to take an unsupportive stance on charter schools, but they stressed that the organization does not speak for all black families. They emphasized that there are still thousands of black parents who choose to send their children to charter schools, and no single group or individual should have the authority to dictate education decisions for black parents.
It is worth noting that received funding from The Dick & Betsy DeVos Family Foundation between 2014 and 2016. Additionally, Campbell Brown serves on the boards of both and the American Federation for Children, which was previously chaired by Betsy DeVos.
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