In a passionate interview on Chicago’s Morning Answer, Terris Todd, director of coalitions and outreach for Project 21’s Black Leadership Network, made the case that educational choice is not just a policy preference—it’s a moral imperative. The former Trump administration official and former director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans joined hosts Amy Jacobson and John Anthony to lay out a comprehensive critique of public education and a roadmap for change.
The conversation was sparked by recent testimony from Delano Squires on Capitol Hill, in which Squires criticized the hypocrisy of progressive politicians who oppose school choice while sending their own children to elite private schools. Todd, who said he recognized Squires’ voice “anywhere,” echoed that frustration.
“When I got to the Department of Education, I realized it made no sense,” Todd said. “The federal government provides less than 10% of school funding, yet pulls the strings. We’ve got a bloated bureaucracy with no real stake in student success.”
Todd argued that the current system is failing students at every level, especially in communities of color, and said the emphasis on “equity” over “excellence” is part of the problem. “We’re graduating students who can’t read at grade level,” he said. “Our ancestors taught themselves to read during slavery, and now—with technology in every student’s hands—we’re going backwards.”
The national proficiency statistics he cited are sobering: less than 40% of fourth and eighth graders are proficient in math or reading. But Todd also pointed to signs of hope—namely, states like Mississippi that have returned to basics and embraced school choice, resulting in significant gains in student achievement.
Still, he warned, public schools can’t be ignored. “We need both school reform and school choice,” he said. “Parents deserve the freedom to choose, and public schools need to be held accountable.”
In discussing parental involvement, Todd made it clear that parents bear responsibility too. “It all starts at home,” he said. “You can’t blame schools alone. Parents must be present, informed, and active.”
Jacobson and Anthony pressed him on the uphill battle in deep-blue states like Illinois and Michigan. Todd was blunt: “We’re rewarding failure. If the Department of Education were a business, it would be under federal investigation.”
The conversation turned to the looming threat posed by Illinois House Bill 2827, which would impose criminal penalties for incomplete homeschooling paperwork, require parent credentials, and potentially expand oversight of vaccine compliance. Todd warned this was another example of government intrusion. “This isn’t about helping students. It’s about control,” he said.
Todd praised families who had turned to homeschooling during the pandemic, noting that while public schools floundered—like Chicago’s 78 weeks of remote learning—homeschoolers didn’t miss a beat.
He called out national education figures like Randi Weingarten of the American Federation of Teachers, highlighting her $568,000 salary. “She’s not in the classroom. She’s not feeding these kids. She’s not dealing with broken homes or homelessness,” Todd said. “But she’s the one dictating policy? That’s upside down.”
As the conversation wrapped up, Anthony asked Todd to complete a sentence: “If we don’t fix education now…”
“We’re in trouble,” Todd responded. “Education is the great equalizer. If we keep failing our kids, they won’t be equipped to lead this country.”
Todd’s final prescription was clear: eliminate the federal Department of Education, expand school choice nationally, and empower parents to reclaim control over their children’s education. “The money should follow the student,” he said. “That’s the future.”
For more on Terris Todd’s work, follow him on X at @TerrisTodd62.