Eternal Vigilance in the Fight for Educational Freedom
It has been said that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance. I was reminded of this as I watched Bill Mattox, senior director at The James Madison Institute, address a public school board in Florida. In Missouri, many of us look to Florida as a model for school choice. It seems Florida has accomplished what we could only dream about.
After Mattox made some initial remarks about the benefits of school choice, he was then peppered with questions from school board members and a superintendent who appeared fundamentally opposed to school choice. Even in a place that seems to have achieved great success in advancing school choice, foes of educational freedom will not go gentle into that good night.
This exchange serves as a reminder: the fight for school choice is never truly over. Even when significant progress is made, opposition persists. Opponents may be fewer in number, but they remain steadfast in their efforts to slow or reverse the momentum. Their resistance, often cloaked in concern for “public schools” or “equity,” is a testament to the very reason school choice exists: the one-size-fits-all model does not work for every child.
In Missouri, we’ve seen promising developments, like the expansion of the MOScholars program. But as Florida demonstrates, no amount of legislative success guarantees a permanent victory. Achieving reform is just the first step. Protecting those reforms requires sustained effort and ongoing engagement with policymakers, educators, and the public. If we want to ensure every child has access to an education that fits their needs, we must remain vigilant, steadfast, and ready to defend the principles of freedom and choice at every turn.
Eternal vigilance, it seems, is not just the price of liberty but also the cost of ensuring that every child’s potential is realized.