摘要：The aim of this article is to provide more evidence regarding the effects of the free choice of school on equal
opportunities, and, thus, on the equity of the educational system, based on the experiences and statements of families
themselves. This work is part of a much broader empirical study carried out in Zaragoza in 2013–2015, entitled
“Choosing a school in Aragon: parental reasoning and strategies in choosing a school”). The interviews (43 done in
depth) and questionnaires (covering 1 837 families) raised three factors that determine parental participation in the
selection process: scope, diversity, and quality of the educational offer. Two variables are highlighted that strongly
affect family participation in the choice of school: the level of parental education, and family income, which determine
the fact that, although there are eligible schools, they are not always accessible to all families. All have the opportunity
to choose, but those opportunities are fewer for those who have less. That direct relationship has a name: inequality,
functioning as a silent but effective mechanism for social segregation. The conclusion is that freedom of choice per
se does not guarantee equal opportunities, and that, if it does not go hand-in-hand with policies aimed at reducing
the initial inequalities that exist between families, freedom of choice becomes a subliminal form of social segregation
that exists between families, freedom of choice becomes a subliminal form of social segregation.
