A Loss for Education and America

It is an inescapable reality that we all must face the brevity of life at one time or another. This past Monday, life seemed short indeed, as an American hero slipped away. John Walton – philanthropist, businessman, education reformer, and Vietnam War veteran – died in a plane crash, ending what was surely a remarkable and unforgettable life. A brief clip on the news announced his death, bringing with it a sense of disbelief and shock for those of us who knew him.

John’s life made an indelible imprint on American education. An unassuming man of few words, John Walton nevertheless embraced his mission of advancing school choice in America. Angered and frustrated by the ineptitude of government K-12 education, he saw competition as the way to redeem the system. A friend of disenfranchised parents across the country, John said, “I honestly see empowering parents through choice as the salvation of public education.” He was convinced that providing options to families would force the education establishment to change for the better. So he gave freely of his time, talent, and treasures, transforming education for countless American families along the way.

While John was a staunch and long-time supporter of school choice, his partnership with Ted Forstmann in 1998 marked a real turning point for the choice movement. Both men donated $25 million, establishing the Children’s Scholarship Fund (CSF), a nonprofit organization providing tuition assistance to low-income families. Since that time, more than 2.5 million families from around the country have applied to CSF requesting financial assistance for educational choice. Clearly, the widespread desire for educational options could no longer be disputed, and an educational movement was born.

As the former Director of the Children’s Scholarship Fund – Charlotte, I had the opportunity to meet John personally. While he always focused on the big picture, he never tired of hearing the individual stories of students who were so appreciative of his financial assistance. He was delighted to hear how some of the families I worked with in Charlotte had been helped, and how their lives had changed.

John was undeterred by the naysayers who questioned his commitment to public schools. In 1998, the Wyoming delegation of the National Education Association accused him of bashing public education and siphoning tax funds from public schools. Some members even suggested that the NEA initiate a boycott against WalMart stores, until he agreed to “abandon his efforts to weaken public education.” But NEA president Bob Chase wisely understood that public attention would only serve to highlight the union’s intolerance of free enterprise and free speech. While the “official” boycott never materialized, John’s financial assistance to school choice was always noted by organizations hostile to the concept of infusing freedom into K-12 education.

Webster’s Dictionary defines a hero as “the central figure in an event, period or movement, one that shows great courage.” To the school choice movement, John Walton was just that: courageous against the education establishment, and faithful to the promise of educational freedom. No other word better describes this true reformer. John, we will miss you.

Lindalyn Kakadelis is the director of the North Carolina Education Alliance.