“I searched for over a year to make sure I picked the best school for my son. I did not want to send my son to the neighborhood (public) school. As a parent, it is my job to do what I think is best for my son.”

These are the words of Daniel Wideman, whose son (Dominic) is a 6th grader at West Oak Lane Charter School in Philadelphia. Daniel and Dominic spoke at last week’s African American Charter School Coalition’s (AACSC) awards dinner. It was humbling for me to be there to hear them — and the other parents and students.

AACSC’s convener and spokesperson, Dawn Chavous, brought boundless energy to the event. Richard Allen Charter School CEO Dr. Larry Jones — who’s been fighting the fight for his students and all students for decades — spoke with authority and conviction.

But, the night belonged to the parents, and their wonderful children.

To Daniel — and Jermaine Millhouse, a Laboratory Charter School parent (Amaya) and Lauren Denise Myers, a Boys Latin Charter School parent (Keigan Lee) — school choice isn’t a concept. It isn’t a slogan: it’s reality.

Parents with children in need always cut through the political noise and bring things back into focus. Their focus is their kids. And, they will move Heaven and earth to do what’s best for them. They will fight until they find a school that works. And when they find that school, they’ll fight to make sure that school stays open and their children enrolled there.

Education is supposed to be the great equalizer. It’s a vitally important way for our children to do better than us. A way to lift oneself out of poverty — to not only survive, but to thrive and create.

To parents, it’s not about philosophy or partisan politics: it is about survival and the American Dream. Most of all, it’s about their children and their dreams. And, some parents — like Daniel, Jermaine and Lauren Denise — are inspired to speak out both for their children and for the other children all too often forgotten or left out.

So often, the debate over charter schools gets caught up in debate over ideas and theories — or worse, a debate over power and money. Such as allegations against charter schools “draining money from district-run public schools.” For years, I’ve fought back against the nonsense of “draining money;” and even more passionately fighting to empower parents.

Those of us who attended the AACSC awards celebration in Philadelphia were treated to another acceptance speech “sermon” from State Senator Anthony Hardy Williams, who was rightly honored for his tireless support for charter schools and school choice. His passion is a reminder that when Pennsylvania’s charter schoolslaw was enacted, it was bipartisan and child-focused. In 1997, then-State Representative Anthony Hardy Williams and then-State Representative Dwight Evans (now a Congressman) — both Democrats — worked with then-Majority Leader John Perzel and Governor Tom Ridge — both Republicans — to make the law a reality and to open schools. The Wideman’s West Oak Lane Charter School opened with Evans’s assistance.

But, the most impactful remarks were from parents and their charter children who spoke about their schools, or introduced award winners. Dominic and Daniel. Amaya and Jermaine. Keigan Lee and Lauren Denise.

The students spoke with self-confidence, clarity, and charm. The parents spoke, too. Be it for 60 seconds or five minutes, each drove home a heartfelt, impactful point.

The parents spoke with pride, gratitude, and a sense of reality. They spoke about the local public schools that were not options due to failing academics, lack of safety — or both. They spoke of their children’s success and self-confidence. They spoke of the attentiveness and concern of the teachers and staff, and how they were role models, too.

Daniel Wideman put it this way: “We have a principal who tells our kids every day that she loves them, and a CEO who will fight every day for our kids. ‘No’ is not an option at this school. They take safety seriously for our kids.”

These are the success stories.

But, there were many voices not heard that night. They’re not yet celebrating these African American lead Charter Schools that are changing lives. Their children are on waiting lists. About 30,000 children in Philadelphia — a number larger than the entire Pittsburgh School District.

Why? Because the School District of Philadelphia doesn’t want too much competition. Fearing that charter enrollment would overtake enrollment in district schools — with good reason. 

So, the District artificially caps enrollment in charters, limiting size and grades. And they haven’t approved a new charter — to allow a new school to open — since 2018.

As many of those in attendance at the dinner will tell you, the School District works tirelessly… to take away charters. It disproportionally impacts charters with majority minority students, and often with CEOs who are African American.

The parents who spoke reminded all of us why we fight for charter schools and for school choice. 

We fight on — not for “competition,” not for “empowering parents.” We fight for Dominic, Amaya and Keigan Lee.

We fight for the thousands of parents whose kids didn’t win a charter school lottery and didn’t win a scholarship lottery to help them to be able  to send their child to attend a non-public school.

There is no better way to fight the cycle of poverty, to fight the bigotry of low expectations, to ensure that everyone has the opportunity of the American Dream than through a good, safe education.

The students’ smiles and their parents’ words reminded all of us.

Guy Ciarrocchi is a Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Foundation. He writes for Broad + Liberty and RealClear Pennsylvania. Follow Guy @PaSuburbsGuy.