As a lifelong public school teacher, I’ve come to hold a perspective that often surprises people: I support school choice. Despite the strong opposition from organizations like teachers’ unions and public education advocacy groups, I believe that offering families options beyond the traditional public school system can be beneficial. I wanted to make it clear that not all public school teachers share the same view as these organizations, so I recorded a short video explaining my support for school choice and shared it on Twitter.
To my surprise, the video went viral. It quickly gained traction with 135,000 impressions, 1,000 likes, and nearly 30,000 views. I expected backlash, but what I didn’t anticipate was the overwhelming support I received—many of those messages came from fellow public school teachers who, like me, support school choice.
For the most part, school choice messaging is directed at lawmakers and families, not teachers. Perhaps advocates assume that public school teachers are uninterested or unsupportive of these options, but that’s a mistake. A 2017 Education Week Research Center survey found that among educators, support for vouchers was low, but just four years later, EdChoice discovered a significant shift: 48% of teachers supported vouchers, 55% were in favor of charter schools, and 69% supported education savings accounts (ESAs). There is a strong but often silent support for school choice among teachers, and with the right encouragement, these voices could grow louder.
So why don’t we hear more from teachers? Many are afraid of backlash from their administration, peers, or teachers’ unions. Some, like I once did, feel hesitant to speak out due to a lack of expertise in education policy. Teachers have full schedules with lesson plans to write, papers to grade, and professional development to complete outside of class hours. Many feel they don’t have time to research policy issues, and as a result, they defer to unions or advocacy groups for guidance on these topics.
This is why it’s so crucial to educate teachers about school choice. Providing clear, accessible information helps empower silent supporters to speak out and persuades those who are on the fence to reconsider their stance. In fact, EdChoice conducted a survey that revealed a 14% increase in support for ESAs when teachers were given a detailed explanation of the policy, rather than just hearing a buzzword.
If you’re a public school teacher who supports school choice, know that you’re not alone. For those advocating for school choice, don’t overlook public school teachers in your efforts—they are potential allies who can help shape the conversation. By addressing misinformation and building trust, we can work together to create an education system that offers more options for students and families.