Choice's Tough Road: The obstacles to reform - school choice

National Review, Sept 11, 2000 by John J. Miller

At the same time, a defeat in California may be a blessing. Proposition 38 is very complicated, and some attorneys who favor school choice believe it might be difficult to defend in court. The Cleveland program, on the other hand, is a pretty good vehicle for a Supreme Court test; Sandra Day O'Connor, the apparent swing justice, may find it acceptable. Further, a narrow loss in California might scare the teacher unions into accepting meaningful reforms, such as expanded charter schools.

No matter what happens in California, though, it will be hard to avoid wondering whether $20 million might have been spent more effectively creating a school-choice demonstration program in East Los Angeles-a good deed in its own right, but also the seedbed of later political successes. School choice works; and once it's up and running, people will wonder what took so long.