Viral video of students unable to read show why Education Freedom Tax Credit is needed

America’s students, especially many of those in Democrat-controlled inner cities, are graduating from schools, yet are often lacking proficiency in crucial subjects such as reading or math. It is abundantly clear that change is necessary in the nation’s education system, and it must be imminent. It can start with all states opting in for the Education Freedom Tax Credit. 

A social media video went viral last week, showing the harrowing reality of the country’s public education system at a high school in Philadelphia, where students struggled to read and comprehend basic words written on an index card. It was a scathing indictment of the country’s education system. It’s a harrowing reality that Education Secretary Linda McMahon and the America First Policy Institute want to remedy.

The shocking video showed high school students struggling to read the sentence: “She wore a silhouette of clothes that were extraordinary but somewhat gauche.” A subsequent video showed more students struggling to read the sentence: “The colonel asked the choir to accommodate the governor’s schedule.” Neither sentence was complicated, and the fact that high school students were unable to do so should raise red flags. It’s also an example of why states must “opt in” to the Education Freedom Tax Credit. It is a program that allows families to fund expenses to maximize and enhance their children’s education.

“For far too long, many Americans have been shackled to inadequate and failing schools where students fail to reach basic proficiency marks,” McMahon said at a press conference in April at the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. “Every child deserves access to an education that equips them to succeed, not one limited by their zip code.”

The EFTC grants families a federal tax credit of up to $1700 for “contributions to Scholarship Granting Organizations.” The SGOs would then “fund scholarships to students, which can be used for a range of K-12 educational expenses, including private school tuition and homeschooling.” It will provide families with education opportunities for children regardless of income levels or neighborhoods and cities in which they live, giving students a genuine chance to receive a quality education, instead of being stuck in failing schools that leave students lacking fundamentals.

For example, consider the school from which the students in the viral video attend: Preparatory Charter High School. According to data about academic performance at the school, 95% of the students enrolled there successfully graduate. Yet, according to proficiency scores from Pennsylvania’s Department of Education standardized testing program, only 19% of students were rated proficient in mathematics and only 53% proficient in reading, even though 95% of students graduate. Schools are clearly not adequately preparing students for after high school. The Educational Freedom Tax Credit can help change that.

It would be hard to imagine those students struggling to read words such as “silhouette” and “extraordinary” if they had the kind of educational opportunities that the EFTC will create.

“Secretary McMahon recognizes the importance of growing our state’s already robust options for families seeking the best educational opportunities for their children. We’ve really set the standard for the Educational Improvement Tax Credit and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit programs,” said Pennsylvania state Rep. Martina White. 

Jondavid Longo, mayor of Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, and chairman of the America First Policy Institute – Pennsylvania, elaborated on the benefits of the EFTC and explained why it benefits families nationwide. He stressed the importance of granting parents control over their children’s education and future, not failed, underperforming education bureaucracies and academic aristocrats.

“This common-sense reform puts parents back in charge of their children’s education and delivers real freedom to Pennsylvania families who have waited far too long for better options,” Longo said. “By expanding tax credits for donations to scholarship organizations, we are breaking the government monopoly on schooling and ensuring every child, regardless of zip code or family income, can attend the school that best meets their needs.”

“America First means putting our kids first, and today we took a decisive step to make that promise a reality for every Pennsylvania family,” he added.

Quite frankly, the video of students struggling to read should raise numerous red flags. It should be unacceptable that any school, anywhere, has such low proficiency levels in reading and math. As a former student of Philadelphia’s public school system, as are many friends and family members, I’ve witnessed firsthand how those responsible for developing students have failed to meet the moment. Many families are helpless due to statewide restrictions that prevent them from taking advantage of better educational opportunities. How many more students, children, and families who want the best for them have to continue to suffer due to politicians’ malpractice?

Imagine a country in which the overwhelming majority of students who graduate from high school were part of a public school system that actually provided them with an adequate education, and they were prepared to graduate from high school. Imagine a school where 95% of students graduating from high school have a 95% proficiency level in math and reading — as it should be. There’s much work to be done to achieve this promising reality. It starts with states opting in for the Education Freedom Tax Credit.