WASHINGTON — This week, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), co-chair of the Congressional School Choice Caucus, was joined by South Carolina Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver and Capitol Hill Christian Academy Founder Annie Hsiao for a conversation about the future of education in America. In his remarks, Senator Scott spoke about the importance of access to quality education in shaping our nation’s future, the role of parents in their children’s education, and more.
“2 Timothy 2:15 says that ‘we should study to show ourselves approved.’ If you think about the importance of education, it really is to be a student of something of value and then to exercise that thing of value in a way that brings more attention to the foundation on which you stand,” said Senator Scott. “We should be armed with the truth and use it to our benefit because there is not a controversial statement when you say ‘public dollars should go to the right school based on the parent’s choice,’ we do it for college, why not K-12? Why should we not allow the poorest kids in the South Side of Chicago to benefit from the same thing that college kids are going to benefit from?”
The full discussion with Senator Scott, Superintendent Weaver, and Ms. Hsiao can be viewed here.
BACKGROUND
Senator Scott has fought to provide all Americans access to a quality education by:
- Calling out a teachers union-allied group for weaponizing race to promote its anti-school choice agenda;
- Introducing the Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act, which affirms parents have a fundamental right to control the upbringing of their child;
- Slamming Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Board of Education President Jianan Shi for the city’s recently passed resolution that could eliminate school choice for Chicago families, strip minority and low-income students of their preferred high schools and widen the achievement gap;
- Leading the fight to protect high-quality, tuition-free charter schools that serve disadvantaged students when the Biden administration took steps to undermine charter schools;
- Championing the Educational Choice for Children Act to expand educational freedom and opportunity for millions of students by creating $10 billion annually in scholarships for K-12 students;
- Introducing the CHOICE Act to give more than 6.2 million students nationwide, primarily students from military and low-income families and students with disabilities, access to quality education of their choosing;
- Hosting the largest ever National School Choice Week Student Rally at the U.S. Capitol, which was attended by more than 300 students from 10 D.C.-area public charter and private schools;
- Leading two bipartisan Senate resolutions – National Charter School Week and National School Choice Week – both of which unanimously passed, raising attention to critical education issues and priorities; and
- Securing House passage of his Parental Rights Over the Education and Care of Their (PROTECT) Kids Act to protect parental rights and ensure parents remain the lead decision makers in their child’s life.