Hey, Ohioans! Vivek Ramaswamy, who’s running for governor, keeps talking about his “new” ideas for fixing education, making his rounds on FOX News. Sean Hannity acting like Vivek is some kind of Educational Guru, He's not!
He’s got this post where he says parents should control their kids’ education, schools need competition, and teachers should get paid based on how good they are. He even brags that Ohio will be the “first state” to do merit-based pay for teachers. Sounds cool, right? But hold up—none of this is new! Let’s break it down like a 7th grader’s book report and show why Ohioans shouldn’t just swallow everything he says. His ideas? They’ve been around forever, and even Ohio’s School Choice program isn’t some shiny new toy—it’s been helping kids for years!
The Post and Why It’s Not Fresh
Vivek wrote this post on X: “Parents should determine the education of their children - period. Competition breeds innovation & that’ll lift up the quality of all schools, both public and private. The dirty little secret in public education is it’s often the schools that spend the most money per student are the ones that deliver the poorest results per student. The real problem is HOW that money is being spent. The right answer: merit-based compensation for educators. The top factor that affects student achievement in schools is the quality of their teachers, yet right now the best teachers are underpaid. I’ll lead Ohio to be the first state in the country to adopt merit-based pay for teachers. Performance won’t just be measured in test scores, but also parental assessments & peer reviews. We won’t just reward wealthier school districts, because teachers in poorer districts can demonstrate even greater improvements on student outcomes from a lower baseline. Today was a great first step, but now it falls to the states to fix the educational achievement crisis & we are ready to lead the way. Thank you, President Trump. The federal government is sending it back to the states, where education policy belongs. We’re ready here in Ohio.”
Sounds like he’s got a big plan, but let’s dig into it and see what’s really going on.
Discrediting Vivek’s “New” Ideas
Here’s the scoop—every single thing Vivek says has been tried or talked about before. Ohioans, don’t just nod along; check the facts!
- “Parents should determine the education of their children - period.”
- This isn’t new! Parents picking schools has been a thing since forever. Ohio’s got a School Choice program already, called EdChoice, which started way back in 1995 with the Cleveland Scholarship Program. It’s not Vivek’s idea—it’s been around for 30 years!
- “Competition breeds innovation & that’ll lift up the quality of all schools.”
- Competition in schools? Old news! School Choice has been pushing that idea since the 1990s. People have been arguing about whether it makes schools better for decades. Vivek’s acting like he invented it, but he didn’t.
- “The dirty little secret in public education is it’s often the schools that spend the most money per student are the ones that deliver the poorest results.”
- Uh, not a secret! Everyone’s known this for years. Studies from the 1980s—like that “A Nation at Risk” report—pointed this out. Vivek’s just repeating stuff teachers and lawmakers have been fighting over forever.
- “The right answer: merit-based compensation for educators.”
- Merit pay? Been there, done that! Back in the 1980s, states started trying it. Tennessee had a program in the 1990s, and Denver did too in the 2000s. Vivek says Ohio will be the “first state,” but that’s a big fat lie—other places beat us to it!
- “Performance won’t just be measured in test scores, but also parental assessments & peer reviews.”
- Using parents and other teachers to judge? That’s old too! Places like Cincinnati tried this in the 2000s with teacher evaluations. It’s not Vivek’s brainchild—it’s recycled.
- “Teachers in poorer districts can demonstrate even greater improvements.”
- Helping poor schools? Nice thought, but not new. Programs like No Child Left Behind from 2001 tried to focus on that. Vivek’s acting like he’s the hero, but this idea’s been around.
- “Now it falls to the states to fix the educational achievement crisis.”
- States running education? That’s how it’s always been! The U.S. Constitution doesn’t even mention education—it’s a state job. Vivek’s thanking Trump, but states have been in charge since day one.
Ohio’s School Choice Program: Not New, Just Awesome
Let’s talk about Ohio’s School Choice program, because Vivek’s acting like he’s bringing something fresh when it’s already here. The EdChoice Scholarship Program started as the Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Program in 1995. It’s one of the oldest in the country! Here’s what you need to know:
- How Long It’s Been Around:
- It kicked off in 1995 in Cleveland, then went statewide in 2005 with EdChoice. That’s 30 years of history—way before Vivek started talking!
- How Many Kids It’s Helped:
- By 2023, over 50,000 kids were using EdChoice scholarships every year. That’s a ton of Ohio students getting help to go to private schools or get tutoring. In total, it’s helped hundreds of thousands since it started!
- What It Does:
- It gives families money (called vouchers) to pick private schools if their public school isn’t good enough. It’s all about that “competition” Vivek loves, but it’s been doing it for decades.
So, when Vivek says he’s got big plans for school choice, he’s late to the party. Ohio’s been rocking this for 30 years and helping tons of kids already!
Why Ohioans Shouldn’t Buy Vivek’s Hype
Vivek Ramaswamy’s running for governor, and he’s loud about education. But his ideas aren’t new—they’re hand-me-downs from years ago. Merit pay? Tried it. School choice? Got it. Parents in charge? Been there. Ohio’s EdChoice program has been helping kids since 1995, and tons of students—over 50,000 a year—are already in on it. Vivek’s not wrong about wanting better schools, but he’s wrong to act like he’s the first to think of this stuff. Ohioans, don’t just take his word for it—look at what’s already happening! His post sounds fancy, but it’s just old ideas with a new haircut. Let’s keep our eyes open and not fall for the “new guy” trick!
Now you know!
You most likely should expand your knowledge and consider reading the following: Vivek Ramaswamy’s Claim of Alignment Between Hinduism and Christianity: A Critical Examination
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