Billionaire philanthropist and former presidential candidate Tom Steyer has faced scrutiny regarding his public stance against school choice, despite his own children having attended a private high school with an annual tuition approaching $50,000. This perceived contradiction has drawn criticism from school choice advocates, who highlight the disparity between his family's educational decisions and his policy proposals.
Records indicate that Steyer's four children, now adults, attended San Francisco University High School, an elite private institution. The tuition for this school was reported to be around $49,496 per student annually, allowing his family to opt for an educational environment outside the public system. This personal choice stands in contrast to his political advocacy.
Steyer has consistently articulated a strong commitment to strengthening public education, often opposing initiatives that divert public funds to private or religious schools. During his 2020 presidential campaign, he advocated for policies such as tripling federal funding for high-poverty schools, fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and halting the expansion of charter schools. He stated, "I'm not a supporter of charter schools. What I'm a supporter of is making the public school system work and supporting teachers in that public school system."
Critics, including Tommy Schultz, Vice President of Communications and Marketing for the American Federation for Children, have labeled Steyer's position as hypocritical. Schultz asserted, "It's far from progressive to exercise school choice for your own politically powerful families while fighting against extending those options to poor families who desperately need educational options." The tweet by Lisa Cusack encapsulated this sentiment, stating, > "Tom Steyer sent his own four children to a private highschool that costs ~ 50k per student, but he opposes school choice to help other people’s children get out of failing public schools—so the teachers’ union endorses him."
Steyer's educational platform emphasized significant investment in public schools, including increased teacher pay and support services like librarians and mental health professionals. He maintained that improving the public school system is the most effective way to ensure quality education for all American children, regardless of their zip code. His alignment with public education priorities has historically resonated with teachers' unions and public school advocates.
