School Choice

Since when does a politician know what's best for a child that they have never met, don't know the needs of, and only invoke the name of in the hope of garnering votes? You hear many politicians today speak about choice and the right of people to make their own decisions. Why is it that choice and personal decision making only apply to certain issues? If we triumph the ability to go to Walmart, Target, etc. depending on what quality and price we want, why can't we choose the type and quality of education we want for our children?