Letter to the editor: With school choice, legislators put children first

Regarding the letter “Representatives don’t represent us” (Sept. 6, TribLIVE): Many op-eds and letters criticize legislative leaders for not pursuing what is being deceptively called “reform” of charter schools. School boards are elected by the local public to provide the vehicle for education from a legal and business model standpoint for their district. The litigious nature of today’s society compels school boards to frequently put aside the educational needs of the students.

State legislators have a different calling. They are elected by voters to create and enact statewide laws; and the leadership currently in place is thankfully supportive of education choice. These policies directly serve children in need of a different educational environment for a wealth of reasons that are as varied as the families seeking them.

Our state legislators are representing children’s interests by allowing them to have educational options from which parents may choose, which include district schools. When did defending options for children become a bad thing? When politics and propping up of archaic (and dysfunctional) systems are involved, apparently.

Our current leadership is putting children and their needs first in demonstrating their support of education choice — as they should.

Sharon Sedlar

Brentwood