Jacob Ogles
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds made a case for school choice while on stage at the Republican National Convention.
The Naples Republican took the stage in Milwaukee to cheers. He noted that he represents Southwest Florida in Congress, but was raised in Brooklyn. He credited much of his personal success in life to his mother’s decision to enroll him in private school despite economic obstacles.
“My mother took me out of public school because she could see that public education was failing me,” Donalds said. “I needed to be challenged, and I needed the opportunity that only a private school could provide. My mother is an educator, and she truly believed in my potential, but Democrat politicians wanted to trap me in a failing school. But my mom fought for me.”
Notably, Donalds is married to one of Florida’s most prominent charter school and voucher advocates, Erika Donalds. She joined the Heritage Foundation last year as a visiting fellow focused on the economics of school choice. She’s also a former Collier County School Board member and is the founder and CEO of OptimaEd, which operates a number of classical academies in Florida.
Byron Donalds has championed expansions in education opportunity scholarships during his time in Congress and when he served in the Florida Legislature.
He leaned further into his own story when making the case for school choice nationwide.
“What about those kids whose parents can’t scrape money together for private school? Don’t those kids who grew up like I grew up deserve the same chance that I had?” he said.
He suggested that President Joe Biden would stop such educational opportunities, but that if Republicans elect President Donald Trump to the White House again, he will open doors for students.
“Joe Biden and (Vice President) Kamala Harris sent their kids to high priced private schools, but since they are in the pocket of the far-left teachers unions, they trap poor kids like me in failing schools with no way out,” Donalds said. “They say they’re pro-choice, but not if you want a choice over what your kids are taught.”
Donalds praised America’s teachers. “To the teachers of America who pour your heart and your soul into your students and teach the next generation to love, honor and serve our great country, we all say thank you,” Donalds said.
But he said Democratic policies restrict educational options, and inflation makes it impossible to overcome economic barriers for parents.
“All Americans deserve a shot at the American dream. But under Joe Biden’s debilitating economic policies, for many Americans, far too many of them, that dream has slipped away,” Donalds said.
8 comments
Not Woke
July 16, 2024 at 8:50 am
A rising star in the diverse Republican Party. Of course the zombie force will label him an Uncle Tom.
PeterH
July 16, 2024 at 2:57 pm
Byron is a typical grifter Republican!
In 1997, Donalds was charged with marijuana possession, but the charges were dropped as part of a pre-trial diversion program, and he was fined $150 (equivalent to $280 in 2023). In 2000, he pleaded no contest to a felony theft charge for allegedly attempting to defraud a bank (by depositing a bad check), but his record was later sealed and expunged. According to an attorney consulted by the fact-checking site PolitiFact, “Donalds would not have been able to get his record expunged if the state considered him a convicted felon.”
Elly Florida
July 16, 2024 at 8:57 am
Children need to be able to go to a school that meets their needs. This is not always a public school. I spent thousands on private school because my sons needed a small, skill focused environment. They did well, and I feel every family should be able to use the money allocated per student to choose the school that serves their children’s needs.
ScienceBLVR
July 16, 2024 at 10:33 am
Great Elly, and when the students’ needs aren’t met at the “I used to be a Winn Dixie” strip mall school, or their behavior gets them removed, they return to their zoned public school. And where’s that funding, Elly?
3 charter schools shut down in our district a few years back. Hundreds of kids left out. And the money? Where do you think that went? Not to the public school, and most of those kids had significant learning deficits. Be careful what you wish for. A great scam used to be(and maybe still is) to start a nonprofit- now it’s a “school”.
My Take
July 16, 2024 at 1:05 pm
Uncle Clarence mulled relooking at Brown vs. Board..
The old school system was one where your kids went to the school the bigots wanted them in.
Not Woke
July 16, 2024 at 1:43 pm
You know My Take, bigotry comes in all shapes and sizes, skin color, sex, age, etc. All that unconscious bias training really hasnt helped.
PeterH
July 16, 2024 at 2:50 pm
The ONLY BENEFICIARIES in Florida’s “school choice” scenarios……are the rich parents who have their children already enrolled in private schools. Private schools in Florida have long waiting lists …… so there are no options for potential new enrollees. Republicans are fully aware of this situation!
Michael K
July 16, 2024 at 6:07 pm
Every parent can send their kid to public school, or a private, exclusionary school. The latter is a choice. Taxpayers should not have to foot the bill.
Unless, of course, the real goal is to destroy public education. And private schools can discriminate. But public schools are for EVERYONE>
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