Democrats must own up to this failure to win back America’s parents
Prominent Democrats, including former Education Secretary Arne Duncan, are acknowledging the party's growing disconnect with parents on education issues. Once dominant on education policy, Democrats have lost voter trust as parents react to ideological shifts, union influence, and declining school performance. In contrast, several red states have made significant academic gains, prompting calls within the party for reform and greater support for school choice.
- ▪Democrats have seen their advantage on education erode, with parents of school-aged children shifting seven percentage points toward the right between 2020 and 2024.
- ▪The Chicago Teachers Union encouraged students to participate in May Day protests during school hours, sparking backlash over politicization of classrooms.
- ▪Student enrollment has declined sharply in large urban blue districts, while homeschooling and private school enrollment have risen since the pandemic.
- ▪Red states like Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Alabama have recorded the nation's strongest academic gains in reading and math over the past five years.
- ▪Democrats Jorge Elorza and Ben Austin are urging the party to embrace the Education Freedom Tax Credit, a school-choice program they previously opposed.
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Opinion Democrats must own up to this failure to win back America’s parents By Erika Sanzi Published May 16, 2026, 6:30 a.m. ET Former U.S. Secretary Of Education Arne Duncan was among the advocates speaking at The Kennedy Forum National Summit On Mental Health Equity And Justice In Chicago at the Chicago Hilton and Tower Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. Getty Images for Kennedy Forum A few prominent Democrats are waking up to a fact that parents have known for years: When it comes to education, their party is on a path to nowhere. Obama-era Education Secretary Arne Duncan sounded the alarm this month, warning that Democrats are “adrift” on schools and losing ground with voters. And don’t think Republicans haven’t noticed.
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