North Kent News

After Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said he is opposed to giving federal funding to for-profit charter schools, it has many Catholics concerns about his stance on school choice programs. 

“Parents are demanding more choices today as their schools across the country are not serving them and the needs of their students,” Education Secretary Betsy DeVos told Fox News. “So the demand for school choice and giving parents the control for their kids' future is continuing to grow. And it's a really important point in time.”

Ralph Shefferly, a former teacher, coach and administrator in Caledonia, Mich., has taught at a Catholic school and had his five children attend Catholic school in the past. 

While he said there are pros and cons to every school, whether Catholic or public, he said he enjoyed sending his kids to Catholic school. 

"Overall, our feelings, our concerns were listened to [in Catholic schools], with a greater degree of empathy," he told North Kent News. "They weren't afraid to tell you if they agreed or disagreed, and the one nice thing that we always had is...the Catechism of the Catholic Church to work with as a focal point."

He also said he believes parents should have the option to send their kids to Catholic schools or a school of choice, which Biden is opposed to funding. 

"School of choice just opens up so much more competition, you know, competition to make your teaching staff more informed, better qualified, because you're trying to draw and attract students to you," Shefferly told North Kent News.  

Catholic schools have much more family involvement compared to public schools in Michigan, he said. 

Shefferly also said he would not support a political candidate that opposes school choice programs. If Biden is elected, his stance on school choice would affect approximately 150,000 students in Michigan, if not more. 

Without having the option of school of choice, many exceptional students wouldn't be able to attend an academy that helps them specialize in their gifts, he said. Not only that, but Catholic families wouldn't be able to send their children to Catholic schools.