MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The recent passage of the CHOOSE Act in Alabama, signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey in March 2024, is igniting debate across the state. The $100 million bill, which establishes Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) for families, allows parents to use public funds to send their children to private or religious schools, as well as to support homeschooling. While proponents argue that the law provides much-needed flexibility for parents seeking better educational opportunities, critics are raising concerns that state money will fund institutions that promote anti-science ideologies and discriminate against marginalized groups.
The law offers $7,000 per student for those attending participating private or religious schools, and up to $2,000 for homeschooled students, allowing families to redirect public funds into private education options. This has led to concerns that taxpayer dollars will now support institutions that teach curricula that contradict established scientific consensus, including creationism. Private religious schools in Alabama, many of which will benefit from the CHOOSE Act, are known to teach religious doctrine as fact, often promoting anti-evolutionary views that conflict with mainstream science education.
Moreover, critics point out that many of the private schools eligible for ESA funds have discriminatory admission policies, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ students and faculty. These schools often have the legal right to deny admission to students based on religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or gender identity—practices that would be illegal in public schools. This use of public funds to support potentially exclusionary practices is a central point of contention for opponents of the law.
“The CHOOSE Act is a Trojan horse for promoting anti-intellectual and discriminatory agendas,” said a spokesperson for a group opposing the bill. “It allows parents to use state funds to send their kids to schools that teach creationism and other unscientific ideas, while also enabling schools to discriminate against students based on their identity or beliefs.”
Governor Ivey, in defense of the bill, has argued that the act gives parents the power to choose what is best for their children. “At the end of the day, we all want every Alabama student—no matter the zip code, no matter the school—to receive a quality education,” Ivey said at the signing ceremony . However, opponents argue that the CHOOSE Act undermines public education and diverts funds away from already underfunded public schools, further exacerbating inequalities.
As Alabama becomes the 14th state to implement ESAs, the CHOOSE Act is poised to reshape the educational landscape, but the long-term consequences—both educational and societal—remain to be seen. Whether this move will improve educational outcomes for Alabama’s children or further erode public education and scientific literacy is a question that will play out in the coming years.