School Choice Is Not The Answer
The United States population is as diverse as it gets. There are multiple religious, ethnic, cultural, and racial groups all living under the same government, because of this we have become one of the most unique societies that human history has ever witnessed. One important fact remains, regardless of the general characteristics of an individual or group, we are all Americans. We may have have our differences, but we are all equal members of a greater society.
A question that a society as diverse as our faces is how can we ensure that the next generation learns that our differences do not define us, that we are all inherently equal? Public schools have historically been the institution where this happens. Our public schools have been where children of Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, and Atheist or nonsectarian parents would come together and learn as a single unit. They would all be treated as equals for the duration of their education.
However, the public education system has never been perfect. The schools have never had the best funding, teachers, administration, etc. Private schools have existed as long as public schools because some parents don't want to deal with the issues of a public school. Private schools receive minimal to no funding from government sources and can craft their educational policy in ways largely absent from government oversight. This is all perfectly legitimate, parents have the right to push for the education they want their children to receive.
Advocates for education reform have come up with a solution for the issues of public education that would put more power into the hands of parents to control their child's education, school choice. School choice educational policy would create a system where government funding can be used by parents to send their children to any school that they wish.
This creates new challenges. If education is supposed to be where children of diverse backgrounds come to learn that our differences don't define us, how will that work in an increasingly separated and segmented system? Private schools more often than not exist to cater to a specific religious denomination. A study from the National Center for Education Statistics of the 2013-1024 school year shows how nonsectarian private schools only account for roughly 31% of all private schools and 21% of all students enrolled in private schools. Catholic private schools represent roughly 20% of all private schools and 40% of all students enrolled in private schools.
The effect that this has on the American student body is that children are no longer learning that our differences don't define us. Private schools have the effect of separating the diverse members of society from one another. Catholic children will be potentially removed from the same schools as Jewish, Protestant, Muslim, and non-sectarian children. Perceived religious and cultural differences will become more exaggerated as groups begin to segregate themselves. That is a bad thing, it challenges the fundamental diversity of American life. The country is at its strongest when we can all recognize one another as equal members of our society.
Expanding school choice programs as the solution to the issues that plague the public school system will only exaggerate the perceived differences among the many different groups within the United States. Public schools serve an important role in our country, they teach children the important aspects of American life and they overlook the many differences of our diverse society. We should not look at the failures of our public school system and run away from them. For the sake of our country, we should face the challenges and issues of our public education system head on. Improving our public schools is the answer, not condemning them.
A question that a society as diverse as our faces is how can we ensure that the next generation learns that our differences do not define us, that we are all inherently equal? Public schools have historically been the institution where this happens. Our public schools have been where children of Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, and Atheist or nonsectarian parents would come together and learn as a single unit. They would all be treated as equals for the duration of their education.
However, the public education system has never been perfect. The schools have never had the best funding, teachers, administration, etc. Private schools have existed as long as public schools because some parents don't want to deal with the issues of a public school. Private schools receive minimal to no funding from government sources and can craft their educational policy in ways largely absent from government oversight. This is all perfectly legitimate, parents have the right to push for the education they want their children to receive.
Advocates for education reform have come up with a solution for the issues of public education that would put more power into the hands of parents to control their child's education, school choice. School choice educational policy would create a system where government funding can be used by parents to send their children to any school that they wish.
This creates new challenges. If education is supposed to be where children of diverse backgrounds come to learn that our differences don't define us, how will that work in an increasingly separated and segmented system? Private schools more often than not exist to cater to a specific religious denomination. A study from the National Center for Education Statistics of the 2013-1024 school year shows how nonsectarian private schools only account for roughly 31% of all private schools and 21% of all students enrolled in private schools. Catholic private schools represent roughly 20% of all private schools and 40% of all students enrolled in private schools.
The effect that this has on the American student body is that children are no longer learning that our differences don't define us. Private schools have the effect of separating the diverse members of society from one another. Catholic children will be potentially removed from the same schools as Jewish, Protestant, Muslim, and non-sectarian children. Perceived religious and cultural differences will become more exaggerated as groups begin to segregate themselves. That is a bad thing, it challenges the fundamental diversity of American life. The country is at its strongest when we can all recognize one another as equal members of our society.
Expanding school choice programs as the solution to the issues that plague the public school system will only exaggerate the perceived differences among the many different groups within the United States. Public schools serve an important role in our country, they teach children the important aspects of American life and they overlook the many differences of our diverse society. We should not look at the failures of our public school system and run away from them. For the sake of our country, we should face the challenges and issues of our public education system head on. Improving our public schools is the answer, not condemning them.