U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker, in an opinion piece for Fox News, detailed that school choice will help individuals achieve the American Dream.
In the piece, the former NFL star detailed his struggles with speaking while he was a child. Because of help from educators and determination, Walker became more confident and improved academically.
While the GOP contender is proud of his roots in a public school, he contended that some public schools today do not offer the same level of academic support.
“As a product of public education, I was able to achieve the American dream because of all the support I had. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many kids living in lower-income communities,” Walker explained in the piece. “Despite pouring billions of dollars every year into public schools, America is ranked 27th in the world for education, with a child dropping out of public school every 60 seconds. Many kids are reading well below grade level, have poor writing and math skills, and are not finishing high school. Some amazing teachers in these communities feel discouraged and not supported as thousands of students are slipping through the cracks.”
Furthermore, the candidate pointed to the coronavirus pandemic as fuel for decreasing academic performance.
Numerous studies have shown the negative academic and social impacts on students who have been forced to learn from a computer screen. As highlighted by Walker, in many areas, lower-income families have felt the ramifications the most.
“Sadly, the pandemic has only made these problems worse, particularly for lower-income families, by forcing millions of students to learn virtually, which has been shown to be much less effective and potentially damaging to the emotional and mental well-being of children,” he continued.
“Our education system should ensure that each and every child is able to achieve the American dream. N0 matter your zip code or the color of your skin, an excellent education is the birthright of every child born in America. We have an obligation to make good on that promise.”
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Herschel Walker” by Herschel Walker. Photo “Classroom” by Wokandapix.
