Week in Review: What are they teaching our kids?

What Are They Teaching Our Kids?

Shouldn’t parents have a right to know what is being taught to our kids? Seems like commonsense, but unfortunately in America’s schools, that’s not always the case.

In a new opinion piece for National Review Online, Goldwater Institute Director of Education Policy Matt Beienburg writes that politicized content like the New York Times’ 1619 Project is entering classrooms across the country with little to no challenge. But now, Arizona legislators are considering a bill that “proposes a novel solution for those concerned about politicized content landing quietly on students’ desks without parental knowledge” and “would require schools to be completely forthright with parents about their instructional materials.”

As Beienburg writes, this proposal “would bypass outdated state protocols that frequently frustrate parents’ ability to know what’s actually being taught, especially before they have already committed their children to a given school. Under this proposal, parents could begin voting with their feet on whether they want a school that celebrates arithmetic fundamentals and 1776…or something else.” Earlier this year, Beienburg published a Goldwater Institute report on the importance of establishing an environment of academic transparency in K-12 schools—you can read that full report here.

We Love You, Arizona!

Roses are red, violets are blue, we love liberty, and Arizona, too!

February 14 is Valentine’s Day, but it’s also Arizona Statehood Day. Arizona became a state on February 14, 1912, and so at the Goldwater Institute, it’s the perfect time to think about what makes our home state the special place it is. From its very beginning, Arizona has been a trailblazer in the fight to help Americans live their lives as they see fit. And in the last year alone, Arizona has made great strides for its people.

In 2019, the Grand Canyon passed two major pieces of legislation making it easier for Arizonans to get to work. Last April, Arizona passed a Goldwater Institute law that made it the first state in the country to recognize occupational licenses obtained out of state. And in the same month, Arizona removed the requirement that blow-dry salon workers—stylists who dry and style hair, but do not cut, perm, or permanently alter hair—must obtain a cosmetology license in order to do their job. Around the country, states are taking notice of Arizona’s leadership and taking steps to follow in its footsteps.

Read more on In Defense of Liberty about why we at the Goldwater Institute are proud to call Arizona our home and help make it a strong example for others to follow.

Reminder: Watch Miss Virginia This Weekend!

Exciting news: The new film “Miss Virginia”—which puts the spotlight on how choice can make a real difference in a student’s education—is premiering on BET and Netflix this coming week!

The movie will make its television debut on Wednesday, February 19 at 10:00pm ET on BET. It will also make its Netflix premiere this Sunday, February 16.

“Miss Virginia” tells the story of mom Virginia Walden Ford’s fight to give parents all across the financial spectrum more say in their child’s education. Her tireless efforts resulted in the creation of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship program in 2004, providing scholarships to low-income students and making it possible for them to attend private schools. (You can read our review of the film here.)

Recently, the Goldwater Institute teamed up with Love Your School to host a screening of “Miss Virginia” for a packed audience in Phoenix, followed by a panel discussion about the positive impacts of school choice. Read more about this special evening here.