Senator Scott Rips Teachers Union-Allied Group for Weaponizing Race to Promote Anti-School Choice Agenda

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Co-chair of the Congressional School Choice Caucus, slammed Truth in Education Funding, a group backed by the nation’s largest teachers union, for describing school choice programs as “deeply rooted in segregation, racism and discrimination” ahead of National School Choice week, which begins on Monday.

Truth in Education Funding is a group aligned with the nation’s largest teachers’ union, the National Education Association (NEA).

 “It’s absolutely offensive that the very organizations holding back poor and low-income kids are now deflecting blame on the schools that provide them the opportunity to live out their American dream,” said Senator Scott. “In fact, it’s teachers’ unions and big labor bosses that shut countless minority students out of their schools. Now, they’re weaponizing race to lock them out of a brighter future and forward their anti-school choice agenda. The thing that’s racist is trapping poor students in failing schools, but this should come as no surprise considering big labor bosses have always prioritized themselves over our kids.”

BACKGROUND

This type of outlandish rhetoric isn’t an isolated incident with an NEA-aligned group. Last year, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, made the outrageous claim that school choice is about “undermining democracy.”

Senator Scott has fought to provide all Americans access to a quality education by:

• 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;
• Hosting the largest ever National School Choice Week Student Rally at the U.S. Capitol last year, 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 in 2023, raising attention to critical education issues and priorities;
• 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;
• 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; and
• 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.