MILWAUKEE (SPECTRUM NEWS)- U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos visited St. Marcus Lutheran School in Milwaukee Monday to tout a new proposal to expand school choice programs. It is part of a national tour to raise support for the Education Freedom Scholarship program. It is a program that, if passed, would provide a $5 billion tax credit to expand school choice, which allows parents to send their kids to public and private schools outside of their school district. DeVos says it will let families make the decision on what they feel is best for their kids.

“Our argument is that parents, the first educators, need to have the power to make the same kind of decisions that those who are wealthy and powerful and connected have been able to do, we need all parents to be able to find the right fit for their education.” Sec. DeVos said.

Sec. DeVos’s visit was met with opposition by some who see the expansion of school vouchers as an attempt to privatize the education system. Dozens gathered Monday outside of St. Marcus to express concern over the proposal. Many say pulling more kids out of the public school system is not the answer to solving the challenges schools face.

“We’ve had money out of the public system, given to unaccountable private schools while our public schools suffer the inequity and resources and then we have law makers and decision makers talk about the failing public schools.” Says Jenni Hofschulte of Parents for Public Schools of Milwaukee

Some concerned about the proposal also worry that school choice violates the separation of church and state, as many religious based schools are among those available through school voucher programs. ​