Strong Families
One of the three tenets of the Alabama Policy Institute’s mission is to promote and defend families as the primary foundation to society. The family unit is the cornerstone of human society and is the foundation upon which other institutions and expressions of human freedom are built. One’s right to have a family, establish positive, nurturing values, and to take those values into society and the marketplace of ideas must be protected from the modern expanse of free-wheeling autonomous individualism, government overreach, and liberalizing social conventions. These principles continue to guide policy discussions in Alabama, particularly as lawmakers consider the role of parents and families in education, child development, and public policy.
Educational Freedom
Strong education is paramount to a healthy society. API asserts that parents know best when it comes to their children’s education. Therefore, universal educational freedom initiatives that acknowledge and strengthen the role of parents in their innate responsibility to educate and raise their children are a priority for API. Regardless of the tools involved, the ultimate goal of school choice is to give parents agency to educate each of their children as they see fit, a goal that has begun to be realized through the implementation of the CHOOSE Act. Further, the re-introduction and expansion of free-market principles have and will continue to improve the station of education in our state. Universal school choice is essential to ensure that every child in Alabama has a chance to flourish.
Applying free market principles to public, private, and home education opportunities has already begun to open new avenues for success across Alabama’s education system. The CHOOSE Act, now being implemented statewide, represents a significant step toward universal school choice by expanding educational opportunities and empowering families to make decisions that best meet the needs of their children.
