On March 26, 1999, the Federalist Society co-sponsored the Stranahan National Issues Forum with the University of Toledo College of Law. The title of the conference was "Education Reform at the Crossroads: Politics, the Constitution, and the Battle over School Choice." The penultimate panel covered "School Choice: The Next Civil Rights Crusade?"
School choice is more than an education-reform porposal. To many supporters of vouchers and charter schools, these policy innovations are crucial elements in the effort to vindicate the civil and political ights of low-income parents and members of racial minorities. At the same time, many school choice critics suggest that vouchers will constitute a set-back for public-school integration. Speakers at this panel— civil-rights leaders, school-choice activists, and academics— will discuss these problems, and also explore the connection between school choice and parents' First Amendment freedoms, as well as the historical and consitutional tradition of viewing a well-educated citizenry as the key to democratic and republican government and education as the key to meaningful exercise of civil rights.
Featuring:

Introduction Ted Cruz, Attorney, Cooper, Carvin & Rosenthal
Prof. Joseph Vitteritti, New York University
Jennifer Grossman, Director of Education, Cato
Michael Meyers, President, New York Civil Rights Coalition
Clint Bolick, Cofounder, Institute for Justice

As always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy issues; all expressions of opinion are those of the speakers.