Blake Farenthold: “As the father of two daughters, I understand the importance of giving a high-quality education to our children. That is…”

“As the father of two daughters, I understand the importance of giving a high-quality education to our children. That is why I am here today to bring awareness to National School Choice Week. School choice is a straightforward concept in that parents should have the choice about where to send their children to school and about picking the best educational environment for their children. This includes many options: traditional public schools, charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, homeschooling, and more. By choosing the appropriate educational options for their children, parents enable them to succeed. Nationwide, approximately 2.6 million students are currently enrolled in more than 3,200 public magnet schools; more than 3 million are enrolled in charter schools; and 2.3 million are homeschooled. According to the National School Choice Week's organizers, 70 percent of Americans support school choice, and those numbers are even higher among growing demographic groups. Some would say that school choice hurts public schools. I beg to differ. Studies have shown that student outcome in public schools actually improves with the more choices there are. I believe in competition in education and in giving control back to parents, teachers, and locally elected officials so that these groups can pursue initiatives that best help our children. Congratulating President Trump”