Whitmire: Decrying ‘One Size Fits All,’ Hickenlooper Lays Bare Democratic Party’s Deep Divide Over School Choice
Many might assume that Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper was merely stating clichés when he responded to Mike Allen’s question at Axios: What is the most common mistake in education made throughout the country?
The governor’s answer is that assuming there is a universal solution to improving educational outcomes is a mistake.
Though this may sound simplistic, it can be seen as controversial within the currently divided Democratic party. Hickenlooper’s response may come back to haunt him if he decides to pursue a presidential bid, as it is a hot topic among Democrats.
The governor spoke at an event called "Raising the Bar: A Conversation on Education," which was moderated by Allen and presented by and the Walton Family Foundation. Governors Jeff Colyer of Kansas and Roy Cooper of North Carolina also spoke at the town hall event.
Hickenlooper revealed that he used to believe that extending the school day and year would be the key to improving education. However, he, along with other political and education leaders in Colorado, have created a variety of options for parents, particularly in Denver. In Denver, a "portfolio" district offers families the opportunity to choose between traditional, charter, or experimental schools run by the district.
However, this idea of giving parents a range of choices is not a popular one among the new left Democrats. These same Democrats in California, for instance, refused to endorse Dianne Feinstein for re-election because she was not as progressive as her rival Kevin DeLeon and not as strongly against Trump.
At the same meeting in San Diego where Feinstein was ignored, the new left Democrats tried to create a platform to make charter schools behave more like district schools, limiting the options for parents. The reason behind this is simple: the teachers unions have significant influence over the Democratic Party and they oppose mostly nonunion charters which they believe take funding away from district schools.
Can they succeed? In some cases, yes. Not long ago, the teachers unions in Massachusetts successfully campaigned to prevent the expansion of charters in the state, limiting school choice to parents who can afford homes in affluent suburbs.
The new left holds considerable power in these debates, particularly as Democrats try to resist anything supported by President Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.
If Trump and DeVos are in favor of charter schools and choice, the discussion is immediately shut down.
What Hickenlooper and others have achieved in Denver represents the moderate faction of the Democratic Party. This wing supports charter school options for low-income parents, but their momentum has been weakened by the new left.
While recommending that education leaders avoid "one-size-fits-all" solutions might sound like a cliché, for a Democrat considering a national office during the time of pushback against Donald Trump, these are fighting words.
