Eric Tuwalski: Straight talk on school choice

School choice has come under scrutiny throughout the Commonwealth in a debate laced with propaganda and misleading information from the media, public-school districts, public school teachers unions, school boards, and others. 

As a Catholic high school teacher in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, I have a unique role in expressing the effects of school choice. I have now taught in four of the now fifteen Archdiocesan Catholic high schools in our region. No one outside of education I could ever recall has ever asked my view about school choice. I have only read or researched the views from public school teachers, the public-school teachers’ unions, elected officials, and maybe just a handful of public-school parent responses. I feel we may want to take a further look at school choice from another lens, the lens from a Catholic high school teacher. 

We just recently had a primary election here in Pennsylvania. I made my students aware that the 2025 elections will not receive the heightened attention as last year’s did here in Pennsylvania. Most of the electorate around our region may not find the odd numbered year elections as important as the even numbered years for elections for President and members of Congress. But the local elections are just as important and with good reason, especially for our local school board positions. Even if these individuals running for school board are doing it without compensation from us taxpayers, do not be deceived: they may have an ulterior motive up their sleeve to ensure they have influence over curriculum instruction, school agenda, and political bias. 

Why does this matter? At our respective high schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, we do enroll students who benefit from school choice. I keep hearing from the media, the public school unions, their administrators that any non-public school would somehow affect their positions and roles in education and steal all their taxpayer funding through vouchers so that we take away their students. My question to them in return is: Why are you not focused on the fundamentals of education instead of fearmongering? I myself would like an honest answer from public school districts. 

Public schools have too many top-heavy officials making well over six figures in their ranks ready to benefit from the taxpayers they are taking advantage of and yet not creating solutions to our area and nation’s education issue. If you start teaching students the concepts necessary for individual growth and enforce consequences for bad behavior, you may see a possible turnaround in a student’s growth potential. 

Would any of our elected officials in Harrisburg or the individuals running for school board positions highlight this on their election platforms? No. I always read about the same lack of substance from citizens running for school board in our region. I could only infer that public schools are not about inclusion when it comes to matters related to friendly competition when it comes to reading, writing, and math within a free market of school choice. They want to monopolize and dismantle the competition. 

Here are two important remedies. The first step to help right the ship in education must come from collaboration with the families. As a former engagement director of an online public charter school over a decade ago, I conducted many home visits with students and their families. I offered to families study ideas that may work to keep their children focused on their school work. I would always remind the families that they are the first teachers of the children and they hold the keys to success from the beginning of infancy to the school years for their children. Right away, we are not including the state and local authority. Families have a significant power in the direction of their child’s life. Do any public teachers’ unions or school board officials agree with me? 

The second significant point I want to express is the issue of accountability.

I would ask anyone running for school board how they would define accountability in the field of education? With all due respect, I get the impression these individuals become shallow and pressed upon using their power and monetary influence to buy their elections and nothing will be accomplished during their tenure. Accountability and ownership come from teachers calling parents in a reasonable time if parents have concerns over their child’s school work or behavior in class. Accountability comes with showing up to teach on time and setting the example for students by teaching them the expectations they will face after graduation. 

The accountability comes from us teachers dressing to professional attire and showing students a great first impression comes from respecting yourself and in return the respect will resonate on the people you encounter when you are an adult. These examples can be used throughout both public and non-public schools. Do any public teachers’ unions or school board officials agree with me? 

I found no one running for school board in my township explaining a definitive five-, ten-, or fifteen-year plan for success. Would these same individuals envision the next new generation work force ready to continue creating a strong local economy and build on success through meritocracy? Or is it one built on individuals’ money-grabbing influence from Wall Street to Silicon Valley running for school boards and bringing with them a model built on power and greed? 

When it comes to school choice, we as citizens, teachers, and elected officials have a choice. We can run the old way with an iron fist, or we allow ourselves creative options to prevent power hungry school board member officials determining the fate of our youth. 

Eric Tuwalski, Ed.D. is the Social Studies Department Chair at Archbishop John Carroll High School.