DID WES MOORE FLIP-FLOP ON SCHOOL CHOICE TO GET TEACHERS’ UNION SUPPORT?

The abrupt reversal about his life’s work gives reason to question Moore’s authenticity and if today’s promises will be abandoned as soon as politically convenient. “Honest MD Dems” opposition research tracks his past school choice support.

As an earlier Duckpin piece notes, Democratic candidate Wes Moore four months ago took the politically unusual step of making the “opposition research” package circulating against him in the Democratic primary a public document. Moore’s campaign filed a complaint with the State Board of Election and State Prosecutor against fellow Democratic contender John King. [i]

Curiously, Moore counsel’s complaint contained in full the package of nearly 40 pages of documents that someone using the email HonestmdDems@gmail.com had been circulating. Among the alleged recipients were Maryland State Education Association board members. The emails, however, failed to influence the union, which voted to endorse Moore.

Much of the document focuses on the charge that “Wes was an ‘Ed Reformer’ who has supported voucher and school choice programs.” Whatever Moore’s views once were, the race for Governor has produced a battlefield conversion in which he faithfully follows the Maryland Education Association’s positions. For example, he proposes that: “As governor, Wes will support efforts to ensure teachers have the ability to include class sizes in their collective bargaining agreements.” His promise would remove critical educational policy decisions away from elected officials.[ii]

In contrast, as CEO from 2017-21 of the Robin Hood Foundation, he headed an organization that “operates a network of 17 public charter schools serving more than 6,000 students in grades K-12 in Brooklyn, New York.”[iii] The group has drawn regular criticism from New York City’s own powerful teacher’s union, the United Federation of Teachers.[iv]

Moore has personally enjoyed the benefits of educational choice. While growing up in New York City, (and not Baltimore as he has claimed), he attended the ultra-exclusive Riverdale Country Day School, with a $51,295 tuition. [v] After becoming involved in petty crime by his own account, he was sent to the Valley Forge Military Academy with a $39,000 tuition.[vi] [vii]

Some Maryland voters certainly may take comfort from the conclusion that Moore’s current education positions are not sincere and were only what was required to win the MSEA endorsement. However, his abrupt reversal regarding a critical element of his life’s work gives others a reason to question his authenticity and whether any promises he makes today will be abandoned as soon as politically convenient.

Some highlights from “Honest MD Dems” Opposition Research detailing Moore’s previous opposition to the MSEA line:

Moore Commended Baltimore City Schools’ Choice System, Saying It Allowed Students To ‘”Vote With Their Feet,’ With Dollars Following Those Students To The Best[1]Performing Schools.” “Legislators must be reminded that Baltimore has already taken many hard steps to improve its educational system. A ‘choice’ system gives middle and high school students the opportunity to ‘vote with their feet,’ with dollars following those students to the best[1]performing schools. A union contract sets a national standard for holding teachers and principals accountable for their students’ performance. And focused initiatives have increased the high school graduation rate and the number of preschoolers who are ‘ready for school.’ And schools that fail to meet increasingly rigorous standards are being closed. These steps and more show that our civic and private leaders are serious about creating great schools that will change the trajectory of inner-city youth while attracting the middle class families necessary to any city’s success.” [Baltimore Sun, Wes Moore, Tom Wilcox and Tom Bozzuto, 2/5/13]

Moore Commended Florida’s Step Up For Students Scholarship, Saying “I Was So Glad To See So Many Parents Experiencing The Same Choice My Mother Had. It’s Programs Like These That Are Bold And Innovative And Provide Opportunities For Low-Income Children.” “The visit was in effort to learn about the national School Choice movement and the Florida scholarship program, Step Up For Students; a scholarship which enables low-income families to choose the public or private school that best meets their children’s needs. […] White House Fellow, Westley Moore, was among the Fellows to visit New Jerusalem Christian Academy. Moore grew up in the Bronx and Baltimore and was a scholarship recipient as a child. ‘New Jerusalem Christian Academy offered us a chance to see parental choice in action,’ Moore, 28, said. ‘I was so glad to see so many parents experiencing the same choice my mother had. It’s programs like these that are bold and innovative and provide opportunities for low-income children.’” [Miami Times, 2/14/07

Moore Said That The Closures Of Baltimore City Schools Which Fail To Meet “Increasingly Rigorous Standards” Show That “Civic And Private Leaders Are Serious About Creating Great Schools.” “Legislators must be reminded that Baltimore has already taken many hard steps to improve its educational system. A ‘choice’ system gives middle and high school students the opportunity to ‘vote with their feet,’ with dollars following those students to the best-performing schools. A union contract sets a national standard for holding teachers and principals accountable for their students’ performance. And focused initiatives have increased the high school graduation rate and the number of preschoolers who are ‘ready for school.’ And schools that fail to meet increasingly rigorous standards are being closed. These steps and more show that our civic and private leaders are serious about creating great schools that will change the trajectory of inner-city youth while attracting the middle class families necessary to any city’s success.” [Baltimore Sun, Wes Moore, Tom Wilcox and Tom Bozzuto, 2/5/13]

[i] https://theduckpin.substack.com/p/the-wes-moore-honestmddems-opposition

[ii] https://wesmoore.com/issues/education/

[iii] https://www.robinhood.org/programs/who-we-fund/#all

[iv] https://www.uft.org/node/112132; https://www.uft.org/news/opinion/op-eds/charter-school-choice-excludes-many-homeless-children; https://www.uft.org/node/111772/

[v] https://www.riverdale.edu/admission/financial-aid/ According to Niche.com, Riverdale is ranked the 3rd best private high school in New York City and the 5th best private K-12 school in the United States. https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-k12-schools/

[vi] Moore, Wes (January 11, 2011). The Other Wes Moore. Random House Publishing Group. pp. 250. ISBN 9780385528207. Retrieved August 18, 2015; https://www.vfmac.edu/academ-tuition-fees-and-scholarship-information/

[vii] By way of contrast, the Catholic high school Governor Hogan graduated from currently charges a $11,800 tuition, not quite half the $21 000 per public spending of the Baltimore Public Schools. https://www.fatherlopez.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1551615&type=d&pREC_ID=1677551