Cato Podcast History Makes Clear: School Choice Is Necessary in a Diverse Society
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Jan 27, 2026 Ron Matus, researcher tracing progressive roots of school choice. Matthew Lee, economist studying religious and demographic influences. Cheryl Fields-Smith, historian of Black education and parental empowerment. They trace long, diverse movements for alternatives to district schools. They discuss religious, racial, and progressive strains, homeschooling diversity, parental control, and COVID’s role in accelerating demand.
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Rosa Parks And School Choice
- Ron Mattis points out historical surprises like Rosa Parks attempting to start a charter school in Detroit.
- Such examples show civil-rights figures also engaged with school choice, surprising many listeners.
Education Should Reflect Local Needs
- Education is inherently idiosyncratic and should vary across individuals and communities.
- Centralization risks producing 'not uniformly high, but uniformly low' outcomes, so local parental control matters.
Homeschooling Includes Liberal Parents
- Research found one in four homeschool parents in their sample identified as liberal Democrats.
- Homeschooling demographics include wide political and religious diversity, contradicting monolithic stereotypes.
