| Dear Friend,
Welcome back to my Week in Review newsletter. Please remember to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for regular updates on how I am serving the people of South Carolina!
School Choice Week! For years, I’ve said that education is the Civil Rights issue of this century. The sad reality is that many children living in our nation’s poorest neighborhoods lack access to a quality education, through no fault of their own. That’s why I introduced a resolution to designate this week, January 23 through January 29, as National School Choice Week. It’s long past time we provided all kids the opportunity to reach their God-given potential, and I believe that starts with expanding school choice. Increasing Parental Involvement School choice isn’t about favoring one type of education over another; it’s simply about making sure that parents have a bigger say. Earlier this week, I hosted a “parental involvement panel” with prominent education leaders and parents at Meeting Street Academy in Charleston. Panelists discussed the impact of school closures on their own kids and mentees, the need for transparency in schools, and ways to expand education options for all families. Click to watch A Closer Look at Education Policy Following the parental involvement panel, I hosted a policy panel featuring former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Congressman Burgess Owens (R-Utah). We responded to issues raised by the parental involvement panel and discussed why school choice is a game-changer for many low-income and minority kids. As Sec. Rice explained, school choice already exists in America — but only for families who can afford to move to a better neighborhood or pay tuition at a private school. We must level the playing field for all children to access the education they deserve. Click to watch Keeping Kids in the Classroom Over the past two years, we have witnessed firsthand the detrimental effects of school closures on our nation’s children — from learning loss to an increase in mental health-related hospital visits. Thankfully, data has also shown us that schools are one of the safest places for children to be, with lower COVID transmission rates in classrooms than in their communities at-large. It’s therefore appalling that many districts are now returning to failed pandemic policies that locked kids out of the classroom. I joined the Heritage Foundation to discuss how school choice can help families who want their kids back in the classroom. Click here for the full conversation! Sincerely, | 