Where we stand 
The Emancipation Proclamation is 150 years old this week.
President Abraham Lincoln signed this important document on January 1, 1863.
If you were paying attention in school or saw the movie “Lincoln,” then you know the Emancipation Proclamation didn’t actually free most of America’s slaves. That came three years later with the ratification of the 13th Amendment.
But the Emancipation Proclamation was an important symbolic step toward officially ending slavery in America. And an important part of American history.
Unfortunately, we’re experiencing a new kind of slavery today – with millions of children being forced to attend schools they and their parents know won’t provide the kind of education they need to lead happy, successful lives.
We’ve proposed giving every parent in America – regardless of where they live, how much money they have or the color of their skin – the opportunity to choose a school offering their children a quality education.
The most common objection: You can’t do that because too many parents will take their kids out of their neighborhood schools.
That’s the essence of slavery, denying people a choice because they might make the “wrong” choice. They might leave the “plantation.”
If your parents are poor, the odds are especially great you’ll be forced to attend a school no one would attend voluntarily. But white middle-class children aren’t immune. Far too many of them are also experiencing life-limiting educational failures.
It’s a national disgrace and a moral outrage.
It’s time to free America’s slaves once again. This is a grassroots effort. We need your help for it to succeed. Check out the “Get Involved” and “Donate” pages on our website.
John Conlin is a self-employed management consultant who lives in Littleton, Colorado. He started End The Education Plantation because he’s seen first-hand the harm being caused by our nation’s schools and believes it’s time to do something about that. Join our email list for continuing updates. And get involved. We’re a grassroots organization.
