During a recent segment on “The View,” co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Alyssa Farah Griffin got into a shouting match while debating the niche political issue of school choice. As Hostin delivered a lengthy monologue, bashing the concept of voucher programs, Griffin continually attempted to weigh in with her dissenting opinion to no avail.
For context, the discussion was sparked by Trump’s cabinet selection of Linda McMahon to serve as the education secretary in his incoming administration. Hostin posed an argument that suggested school choice disenfranchises poor families and favors the rich. “When you hear about school choice, it’s really connected to the voucher system,” she said. “The Department of Education is responsible for $18.4 billion that fund high-poverty K-12 schools. Schools where kids are poor. Kids that grew up in neighborhoods like I grew up in the South Bronx projects.”
Citing studies that allegedly substantiate her argument, Hostin added, “And what happens with vouchers? The studies show very clearly that they fund students already attending private schools. So people with money get those vouchers, use the vouchers to pay less for their private schools and their kids go on to do well. Where do you get the money from vouchers? You pull that money from the poor schools.”
Hostin continued, “Wealthy families are overwhelmingly the recipients of school voucher tax credits, I’m not making this up.” Griffin tried to butt in, “That’s just not my experience, if I may get in just to make it a conversation.” However, Hostin didn’t acknowledge Griffin and continued to talk over her. “I went to public school, I believe you got to go to private school,” Griffin maintained.
As the two continued to talk over each other, Whoopi Goldberg finally jumped in and interrupted the arguing, informing the panel that they would cut to a commercial break and allow things to cool off. “I haven’t gotten a word in, she’s been talking for three minutes,” Griffin bemoaned, after Joy Behar suggested she wasn’t allowing for discussion to take place.
Furthermore, Behar suggested that the source of tension on the predominantly liberal panel was perhaps driven by President-elect Donald Trump’s landslide win in the election. “We lost the election. We’re miserable. Half of this country is miserable. And let’s just tell the truth: We hate that he won. We hate it. And everybody is uptight and crazy right now,” she said.
Finally getting the opportunity to share her perspective on the issue of school choice, Griffins said, “It’s simply that a parent should be able to make the best choice for their student. I also think that there are schools that are falling behind. It doesn’t mean they don’t deserve education, but I don’t think students should be victims of a falling-behind school. Their life is at stake, their future, their earning potential.”
Watch the heated incident on the recent episode of “The View” below:
Note: The featured image is a screenshot from the embedded video.
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