No one really knows if George Washington actually chopped down a cherry tree; that anecdote from our nation’s past is one of many half-truths and myths, most of which are harmless and do little damage to our nation’s discourse. Some myths, however, particularly those in the public policy and education reform arenas, do need to be confronted and corrected. That is why the Friedman Foundation for Educational Freedom created this informational booklet; to dispel the various myths of school choice and educate policyand decision-makers on what the research has actually found.

This information package addresses the myths of school choice on three levels; a short concise snapshot, an overview of research fifi ndings, and a more detailed analysis with the complete research studies in a CD format.

Opponents of school choice do not let the truth get in the way in their efforts to preserve the status quo. Unfortunately, this is not how educational policy should be made. The stakes are too high to allow myths and half truths inflfl uence the way in which we educate our children and prepare for the future. School choice is a way of providing every child with a quality education regardless of what socioeconomic class they were born into.

“The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie— deliberate, contrived and dishonest—but the myth—persistent, persuasive and unrealistic.”

John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Vouchers hurt public schools and take the best and brightest.
Private schools aren’t really better than public schools.
Vouchers will lead to increased segregation.
Private schools are hostile to tolerance and democratic values.
Vouchers are costly and drain money from public schools.
Private schools exclude difficult students.