As a believer in and a supporter of a strong public school system, I have found the loss of confidence in our public schools in general over the last 40 or so years to be a most disturbing aspect of American life today. Our public school system seemed to serve us very well since its inception in the early 19th century. Why it has fallen into some disfavor is a matter of concern to all of us whether or not we have children in the system.
Dana Goldstein, a reporter for the New York Times who covers education, has written extensively about this phenomenon and has recently posited these reasons a voucher system has become so popular and why parents are looking for more choice:
What’s driving this change? The pandemic prompted many families to reconsider how their children learn. Republican lawmakers embraced private-school choice as part of a broader push for parental rights. (They also see the issue as a way to appeal to young parents — often Black and Latino — who are critical of how public schools serve their children.) And teachers are reporting intense burnout, with some leaving public schools to open small businesses that can accept these vouchers.
Goldstein’s reporting is worth reading.
Despite these problems, I still believe that the nation is better off with a strong public school system that has the confidence of every part of society. Such a system will never be perfect or even perfectly acceptable, but it is certainly a goal worth pursuing.
Illustration: An abandoned schoolhouse
