If so, a new study should eliminate lingering doubts. It finds that schools chosen by parents, not politicians or bureaucrats, do better at providing students with the essentials for democratic citizenship: political knowledge, tolerance, and participation, voluntarism, social capital, civic skills, and patriotism.

In his review of the scholarly literature, more than 20 studies in all, author Patrick J. Wolf  finds that compared to students in assigned public schools, students whose parents choose their children’s schools demonstrate greater civic knowledge and participation. Most of the schools examined are private schools since only three scientific studies have been done on public charter and magnet schools.

Wolf concludes that “the empirical studies to date counter the claims of school choice opponents that private schooling inherently and inevitably undermines the fostering of civic values. The statistical record suggests that private schooling and school choice often enhance the realization of the civic values that are central to a well-functioning democracy.” In summary, “These results suggest that the expansion of school choice is more likely to enhance than diminish the civic values of our next generation of citizens,” Wolf writes.

Of course, informed and engaged citizens is probably the last thing opponents of parental choice in education want.