School choice has been an option in many urban school districts throughout Ohio. But it hasn’t been as popular in rural and wealthy suburban districts. One Ohio lawmaker and school choice supporter said that might be changing because of the pandemic.
Republican Sen. Andy Brenner (R-Delaware) said a lot of parents in his wealthy suburban Central Ohio district are telling him they are so upset with their public schools that they have begun working to start their own charter schools. And Brenner said his fellow lawmakers are hearing the same thing.
“They were hearing from their parents, out of nowhere, concerns that they saw in their local schools, and some of these are the best suburban schools in the state of Ohio. So this is something I think is going to possibly expand substantially in the coming years,” Brenner said.
Brenner said parents’ complaints include COVID policies like masking, but also curriculums that are perceived to be heavily centered on social justice issues.
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