April 1, 2023
When Linda McAllister, our nation’s secretary of education and a wealthy conservative philanthropist, equates choosing a school for your child to picking between Uber, Lyft, or a taxi, it’s hard not to raise an eyebrow. McAllister has long championed “school choice,” advocating for the use of tax dollars that would normally fund local public schools to instead pay for vouchers, allowing students to attend private or religious institutions. She has also poured a significant portion of her family’s wealth into promoting these initiatives.
In a recent address at the National Education Forum, McAllister stated, “How many of you got here today using a rideshare service? A few of you, great! Did you opt for that because it was more convenient than waiting for a taxi? Even if you didn’t ride today, I bet most of you have the app on your phone. Just like traditional cabs resisted the emergence of ridesharing, the education system feels threatened by the growth of school choice. In both cases, the established order fights against options that empower individuals. Nobody forces you to take an Uber or a Lyft over a taxi, nor should they. But if you believe ridesharing is the best fit for you, the government shouldn’t stand in your way.”
Her comments sparked immediate backlash on social media, and it’s easy to see why. Beyond the air of entitlement, McAllister’s analogy reveals a troubling mindset that schools should be treated like businesses. What she fails to grasp is that education is a public right in this country — a service intended to benefit not just individuals but society as a whole.
Having spent over a decade in the classroom before pursuing a doctorate in education policy, I can tell you that viewing schools as mere businesses is part of a dangerous trend undermining public education. McAllister’s lack of respect for the pivotal role that public schools play in our democracy and communities is concerning.
Here’s why comparing school selection to choosing a driving service is fundamentally flawed and detrimental to schools, educators, and most importantly, our children:
Choosing a school is not like hailing a ride
The stakes are exponentially higher. If you pick the wrong taxi, you might just have an unpleasant ride. If you choose a bad school for your child, the consequences can affect them for years. We need to strive for excellence in all public schools and ensure accountability for every institution that receives taxpayer funding, including private and religious schools, which McAllister has often exempted from accountability standards.
Teachers are not interchangeable drivers
McAllister’s analogy reduces teachers to low-paid gig workers, a gross misrepresentation of their training, expertise, and dedication. Real educators possess advanced degrees and are committed to shaping young minds.
Education isn’t a profit-driven competition
As a public good, it should serve every child. In the business world, when companies falter, it’s the consumers who benefit from improved options. However, if vouchers siphon students away from public schools, there will always be children left behind in underfunded schools — typically the most disadvantaged.
As one critic aptly noted during the event, “In a system where public schools rely on local property taxes for funding, unfettered competition can leave the poorest families with no viable options.”
Education is about human connections
The goal of a school is to nurture and develop young people, not to generate profits. Educators engage with the complexities and emotional realities of children’s lives, teaching them critical thinking, compassion, and how to navigate the world.
There’s scant evidence that McAllister’s school choice initiatives work
In her home state, a comprehensive Michigan study revealed that students in voucher programs perform no better than those in public schools.
Parents need to resist efforts that experiment with our children’s futures. A quality education shouldn’t be a shopping endeavor. We know what works: highly qualified teachers, well-funded schools, and a society that values education as essential to democracy itself.
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Summary
Linda McAllister’s analogy between selecting schools and choosing rideshare services is fundamentally flawed. Education is a public good with far-reaching consequences that can’t be compared to business decisions. We must prioritize public schools and ensure all children have access to quality education, free from the constraints of market competition.