As school choice advances, Jorge Elorza, CEO of Democrats for Education Reform and former mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, declares that voters no longer trust Democrats to deliver on educational needs. He writes that American schools are failing too many children, “particularly those from the very communities Democrats claim to champion. Literacy and math proficiency rates are abysmal, and too many students graduate unprepared for college or careers. And yet, too many Democrats have positioned themselves as defenders of the status quo. This is both morally indefensible and a core reason why we have lost touch with our base.”
DEI
Following Florida’s lead earlier in 2024, other states, including Georgia, Alabama, Utah, and Iowa, have passed anti-DEI measures. Then, in December, the Idaho State Board of Education approved a ban on DEI ideology in higher education as part of its commitment to “the success of every student.” Their resolution states, “Institutions shall not establish or maintain a central office, policy, procedure, or initiative that promotes DEI ideology,” which they define as “any approach that prioritizes ‘personal identity characteristics’ (race, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, or gender identity) over individual merit.”