What's really at stake when we discuss school choice?

School choice has become a hot topic for debate here in St. Louis, as officials, teachers, politicians, and legislators spar over whether families should given the necessities to choose a school for their children. The real question is, however, should the less fortunate families in St. Louis be able to pick and choose their children’s education? For the most part, wealthier families are not in this quandary of how to find a good education for their family. They have the means—the resources and the mobility—to find those good schools in the area, something that has become increasingly difficult. Thus, when individuals are up in their offices debating whether or not to implement vouchers or tax credits for school choice programs, they need to remember these will be helping the poverty stricken in St. Louis in a way that rules and regulations and police and soup kitchens never will.
Making schools all their own, separate and private entities, would allow them to couple with families and school boards to make the best education available and affordable. First, children must have the option of getting into better schools. Once families are given the resources to place their children into these better areas, they will feel more a part of this education and will make sure and volunteer their time. Thus, efficiency in the school system would be at its peak, with children doing better in quality schools, and parents and teachers joining to make sure these children are getting something out of the education.