Episode 73 · October 23, 2026

A New Democratic Recruit in the Battle for School Choice | Episode 73

Dom Giordano examines a notable new voice in the school-choice debate: Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz of Florida. Drawing on Moskowitz's argument for the new federal tax-credit scholarship program, Dom discusses antisemitism in schools, the safety concerns facing Jewish families and why parents need meaningful education options. Dom also looks at pressure on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to decide whether the state will participate in the federal program, makes the case for open enrollment across public-school districts and asks why Philadelphia and other large cities have not followed the evidence behind the Mississippi Miracle. Later, Dom responds to neuropsychologist Katie Davis's warning that some families and private schools are turning learning-disability diagnoses and test accommodations into a competitive advantage. He argues that genuine disabilities deserve support—but that gaming the system lowers standards for everyone. Referenced reporting and commentary: Wall Street Journal, "A Democrat Convert to School Choice," by Jared Moskowitz (discussed in Commonwealth Partners' October 20 News & Brews): https://thecommonwealthpartners.com/2026/10/21/news-brews-october-20-2026/ Chalkbeat Philadelphia, "Shapiro faces mounting pressure to opt Pennsylvania into federal education tax credits": https://www.chalkbeat.org/philadelphia/2026/10/15/shapiro-facing-pressure-to-opt-in-to-trump-education-tax-credit-program/ Reason Foundation, "How to improve public schools and give tens of millions of families school choice": https://reason.org/commentary/how-to-improve-public-schools-and-give-tens-of-millions-of-families-school-choice/ The Free Press, "No, Your Kid Probably Doesn't Need Extra Time on Their Tests": https://www.thefp.com/p/neuropsychologist-test-accomodations-kids Send questions and observations to domshow@aol.com. More episodes: https://oldschoolnewschool.com

Topic

Parents & Families

Runtime

16m