PRESS RELEASE: DFI Launches Education Freedom and Parental Rights Initiative Led by K-12 Education Policy Expert Virginia Gentles

WASHINGTON—As student achievement remains at historic lows and parents across the country demand more K-12 options for their children, the Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies (DFI) announced today the launch of its Education Freedom and Parental Rights Initiative. The initiative will focus on federal laws expanding parental rights in education, increasing K-12 education options for America’s students, and holding public school employee unions accountable for the harm that they continue to cause to students, families, and teachers.

“Since the pandemic, state education freedom and parental rights laws have swept the nation. Congress is taking an ever-increasing interest in these issues,” said Jim Blew, DFI’s Co-Founder. “DFI will be helping the DC policymaking community understand how best to support state efforts to help families.”

Virginia Gentles will be leading DFI’s new initiative. Ginny comes to DFI with a wealth of K-12 policy expertise. She previously served as a senior political appointee in the U.S. Department of Education under President George W. Bush and led the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice, managing the state’s school choice programs. She has also advised the American Federation for Children and National School Choice Week. Most recently, she directed the Education Freedom Center at the Independent Women’s Forum.

“There’s been a groundswell of support for education freedom programs across the country over the last few years,” said Gentles. “In the wake of harmful COVID-era school closures, state political leaders bucked the teacher unions and started enacting and expanding K-12 scholarship programs so families could choose the best education for their children. I’m thrilled to join DFI and remain at the forefront of this fight in our nation’s capital as we highlight state victories and identify federal policy opportunities.”

To learn more about DFI and its K-12 education policy work, click here.