In this Thomas B. Fordham Institute article, panelists at a recent event emphasize education as the catalyst in their lives for change. One, Hillbilly Elegy author J.D. Vance, grew up in Kentucky and industrial Ohio, and Cynthia Dungey, Director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), was brought up in a poor urban area. Yet, both describe their educational trajectory as their path out of poverty.
According to the article, “Dungey says we must remove obstacles and support citizens toward their pathway to success. We must see what success for poor children and families looks like–exemplified by Vance and Dungey–and do whatever is necessary to replicate all contributing factors for everyone.”
As the debate on school choice continues at the national and state level, let’s remember why we are debating in the first place. Access to the right education changes lives. Families, regardless of income or zip code, deserve to make the choice that is best for their children.
Photo courteous of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, via Creative Commons.