Rally to unite public, private groups that back vouchers

By D. Aileen Dodd

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A school choice rally Thursday will build a new public alliance between activists who want Georgia to offer more education options for students -- leaders of private schools, charter schools, scholastic reform organizations and parents.

More than 200 choice advocates are expected to gather at 10 a.m. on the front steps of the state Capitol to network and share their support for giving parents more power to pick their children’s schools. The grouping unites factions who share similar interestst and have decided to work more closely to improve education options in the state.

The rally is being sponsored by the Center for an Educated Georgia, the Archdiocese of Atlanta, the Foundation for Educational Choice and Agudath Israel of America at a time when legislation is being considered by state lawmakers that would expand choice.

“All of these groups support giving parents more options for their children,” said Ben Scafidi, director of the Center for an Educated Georgia. “We talk a lot and decided this is the year that we should have our first rally.”

Scafidi said parents, supporters of vouchers, tax-credit scholarships and charter schools will “speak in one voice” in support of choice. “Even if a child’s neighborhood public school is a perfect fit for one child, some kids need other options,” he said.

SB 361, the Early HOPE Scholarship bill, is scheduled to receive a hearing Thursday. Its author, State Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock), is slated to speak at the rally to build support for the plan. His bill would replace the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program and give military and foster children as well as special needs students the opportunity to use vouchers to go to new public or private schools.

Other speakers scheduled for the rally include Archbishop Wilton Gregory of the Archdiocese of Atlanta and Nina Gilbert, head of Ivy Preparatory Academy, a charter school in Norcross.

“I think that anything that offers parents more choice is positive,” Gilbert said. “One size doesn’t fit all.”