Randy Page, president of South Carolinians for Responsible Government, wrote a compelling editorial in response to the 'Spartanburg six's' legislative moves to cut off parent and student school choice and the subsequent Herald-Journal article which praised and thanked the legislators for their unfounded actions.

The Spartanburg Six, Reps. Rita Allison, Steve Parker, Eddie Tallon, Mike Forrester, Derham Cole and Doug Brannon, voted to block a plan that would allow for tax credits to help taxpayers choose the best educational choice for their children.  The plan also called for the extension of tax credits to individuals and corporations that provide funds for low-income children to obtain tuition scholarships.

Page defended the school choice legislation, pointing out that similar proposals that have been successful in Florida, Pennsylvania, and Arizona.  He also highlighted 4 supportive and bipartisan reasons for why the legislation is necessary and innovative. These advantages include the opportunity for children to learn in a program that best suits their needs, the opportunity for families to decide which institution a child should attend, enhanced equality and for all schools and families, and, finally, allowing school funding and tax dollars to follow the student to whichever school they choose to attend.

This legislation had the potential to not only modernize South Carolina's education system to keep up with the growing body of school choices, but to also provide students with more opportunities for educational success. It is a shame to think that bureaucratic disputes are the reason why South Carolina students are barred from receiving a high-quality education that fits their needs.