Durham Reporter

North Carolina celebrated National School Choice Week last week with more than 2,000 events across the state. 

Immanuel Jarvis, chairman of the Durham County GOP, said giving parents a choice “empowers parents with the flexibility to select the best environment for their children to succeed.”

“A one-size-fits-all public school option works for some but not for others,” Jarvis said.

Immanuel Jarvis, Durham GOP | Twitter

North Carolina is a national leader in the school choice movement. School choice opportunities for families and students across the state include private, religious, home schooling, public charter, and traditional public schools.

Out of 1.8 million North Carolina children who are enrolled in K-12 schools, almost 20 percent of them attend public charter, private or home schools. 

Carter Community Charter School in Durham held a choice event last week. The student population at the school is 95 percent African-American and 5 percent Hispanic. Approximately 85 percent of the students are economically disadvantaged, meaning that they qualify for the free or reduced lunch program. 

“The rich already have school choice,” Jarvis said.  “The poor should be afforded the same opportunity."

Carter Community Charter designated its celebration as a “career day.” Presenters included judges, firefighters, doctors, IT specialists, broadcasters, lawyers and police. 

“The original intent of America’s school system was to support the child for success by way of a meaningful education. School Choice Week is a reminder that children should remain the center of why we have an education system,” Jarvis said. 

National School Choice Week seeks to provide a fresh reminder that every child is unique, and that a uniform curriculum and educational approach is not best for all students, the North Carolina Family Policy Council (www.ncfamily.org), a school choice advocate, said. 

“School choice gives parents a variety of education options. They are able to decide which factors are most important for the growth of their student, including smaller class size, creative learning approaches, a faith-based focus, or a wider variety of extracurricular activities,” the group said.