School boards are supposed to look out for the interests of the public. Too often, they look out for the interests of the status quo school system.

The South Carolina-based group Clergy for Education Reform issues a challenge to the state's school board association:

Columbia, SC - Pastor Davis, Executive Minister of Clergy for Educational Options (CEO), today issued a direct challenge to the South Carolina School Board Association (SBA) to debate School Choice in the lowest performing districts in the State. CEO is the preeminent advocate for school choice in South Carolina, with rapidly-growing support among the States African-American parents, clergy and community leaders.

"With its recent attack on school choice and its supporters provoked by the growth of the issue in the state," said Pastor Davis, "the fight has been fashioned. I challenge the SBA to debate this issue with me in every community in South Carolina with failing public schools. Let the parents in these districts hear first hand the pros and cons of this issue. Let the parents ask their most provoking questions". They alone have the right to decide what is best for their children.

"The SBA has once again shown its true priority: the defense of the public education monopoly and its adult beneficiaries. The urgent needs of children in chronically-failing dangerous public schools never make the agenda. How well we know this attitude. During the civil rights battle to give black children access to a quality education, politicians stood in the school house doors to prevent black children from getting in. Today with some of the worst schools in the country and the worst drop out rate in the nation we see the education bureaucrats standing in the same school house doors not allowing these same children out to pursue a quality education.

The SBA cannot have it both ways. They argue against school choice so they can keep our children and their families from pursuing a better education. Yet their record with at-risk children is dismal and bleak at best. The heartless hypocrisy of the SBA should be obvious to all. They would never send their own children to the states worst performing schools. But they do not hesitate to deny our children school choice so they can escape some of the worst performing schools in the nation".

"I await their response to our debate challenge" continued Pastor Davis. "Without a high quality education black children are doomed. The public school system is obviously unwilling or unable to fulfill its duty. It is long past time when our children are freed to choose schools that will not abandon them. We echo the words of Moses when he stood before Pharaoh and said 'Let my People Go' I more specifically say: Let my Children Go!"

"I hope the SBA accepts my challenge and respects South Carolina parents enough to engage with us directly."