ABSTRACT
The previous several chapters were purposely written from the perspective of someone deeply embroiled in the fight for change in our schools. As a result, I shared much of the political wrangling back and forth and some of the inside political maneuvering that I was involved in while in public office trying to promote an education reform agenda. In reflecting back on that time, as well as considering my current work in various states trying to get educational choice legislation passed, having to deal with the politics can be all encompassing. In that world, it is so easy to adopt the us versus them mindset. It is natural to be poised for the fight. Since taking over the chairmanship of the DC Council education committee in the late 1990s, it is the only perspective that made sense to me: that changes in education will never take place unless we are willing to fight for them—for our children. I still believe in education reform and I still believe in the transformative power of school choice, but what if we don’t have to fight? What if our tedious and laborious focus on systemic change has led to our missing the forest for the trees? What if we could inspire all Americans to want to learn in a way that they won’t feel as though they must pick sides in a fight?
