(The Federalist) Nikole Hannah-Jones, creator of the controversial 1619 Project and a frequent critic of school choice programs, recently confessed in an essay that in order to live up to her woke ideology, she and her husband enrolled their daughter, Najya, in underperforming inner-city elementary and middle schools. They did so hoping their resources and connections would help improve them but later recognized that this decision cost their daughter’s education. When Najya transitioned to a more rigorous high school through a school choice program, she experienced noticeable gaps in her academic preparation, particularly in math, and felt she hadn’t received the education she wanted.
This experience highlights the consequences when educational decisions are guided by ideology rather than student needs. While Hannah-Jones moved her daughter to a higher-performing school, many students from less advantaged backgrounds remain in underperforming schools.