Chris Saxman, a member of the House of Delegates from Staunton, has met with little success in efforts to pass school-choice legislation.

are a variety of reasons for that. Virginia's suburbs boast many good school systems, which reduces demand for alternatives. And in urban areas where school choice might be more welcomed, the state's legacy of racism has left deep and lingering suspicion about the motives behind any government support for private academies. Then there is the state's temperamental resistance to change, period. Even the modest reform of charter schooling has barely gained a toehold in the commonwealth.

But Saxman is not ready to throw in the towel. He has founded an advocacy organization, School Choice Virginia, to continue to press the cause. And the cause is a worthy one. As Keith West, a Richmond School Board member and a board member of the new group, observes, poor families often lack the choice many better-off families enjoy. Rich families can afford private-school tuition, and middle-class Americans choose their schools by voting with their mortgage: They buy houses near good schools. Poor families are often stuck.

Giving poor families the chance to choose their schools would introduce competition where it's needed most. But competition isn't the only reason to encourage a diversity of educational options. Americans don't shop at just one kind of grocery store or eat at just one kind of restaurant. Different families have different needs.

School choice is not a panacea. The private sector is not perfect -- as recent grim economic news demonstrates. But school choice is still a worthy goal, and Virginians should be glad to have an organization dedicated to its pursuit.