<p>Neoliberal school choice policies such as vouchers and homeschooling have long aimed to privatize education through market-oriented approaches to schooling at the direct detriment to public schools. This decades-long goal experienced accelerated momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic and after during the anti-woke era as conservative parents sought to pushback against virus mitigation and “woke” ideology. However, rural conservatives across the nation often oppose vouchers given the lack of private school options in rural regions– rejecting ballot initiatives across numerous states. Yet, urban and suburban conservatives, governors, and state legislators continue to create and expand voucher programs despite rural conservative opposition. The persistence of these efforts highlights tensions within conservative coalitions, reflecting an urban/rural divide and are explored in two Southern states.</p>