Divided by Choice: How Charter Schools Diminish Democracy

How race and capitalism shape education School choice programs—such as vouchers, education savings accounts, and tax credit scholarships—are surrounded by controversy, raising questions about their impact on student diversity and inequality. In this book, Ryane McAuliffe Straus takes up a core part of this divisive debate, exploring why charter schools are reshaping America's education system—and democracy—for the worse. Drawing on interviews with elected officials, policy entrepreneurs, parents, and activists in Albany, NY, Straus argues that charter schools are a poor alternative to failing public schools, ultimately worsening racial segregation under the guise of providing underprivileged students with access to better education. Taking a wide-ranging view, the author explores why parents, elected officials, and community activists may or may not choose to leave the public education system by enrolling their children in charter schools. Straus finds that when families of color leave public schools in favor of charter schools this removes their democratic voice and participation, diminishing their political power in a high-stakes area of public policy. Divided by Choice highlights the fundamental flaws of one solution to public education inequalities, at a time when racial tensions are at an all-time high.

About the Author :
Ryane McAuliffe Straus is an Empire State Fellow in New York. Previously, she was a Professor of Political Science at the College of Saint Rose.

Review :
"Essential reading for educators, policymakers, and scholars, this book offers a nuanced perspective on the intersection of race and charter school policy. Parents and students deserve more than an exit out of the public school system." - Katherine Tate, co-author of Gendered Pluralism "Ryane McAuliffe Straus has conducted a meticulous analysis of how schooling opportunities are shaped by structures of racialized power and capitalism. Drawing on interviews with over 50 parents and school leaders across racial and income groups Divided by Choice reveals how 'colorblind individualism' prevails in charter, magnet, and district-based schools. As public schools become increasingly stratified across the country, Straus offers insights on how charter schools and school districts can work together to promote stronger social integration in local communities." - Kenneth K. Wong, , co-editor of Centering Whole-Child Development in Global Education Reform "Straus powerfully reveals how race and class shape school choice policies in America. Using Albany, New York, as a vivid case study, Straus illustrates how charter schools embody deep-rooted racial and economic inequalities. Combining sharp analysis and compelling interviews, this work challenges readers to rethink the limits of school choice, calling for a renewed conversation about educational justice in America." - Deana A. Rohlinger, author of New Media and Society