In Defense of Public Schools
Friday, October 1, 2010 by Amy
Lately, on MDC, I've been embroiled in debates over schools. Even those with children in public schools are strangely critical of teachers. One woman, with a second grader, announced at meet-the-teacher night (ie, before school even started) that her family "doesn't do" homework. Before ever seeing the homework, or knowing how much will be assigned. She then told the teacher that under no circumstances is her child to be punished, either by taking away recess time or by lowered grades, for not doing homework. Excuse me? So the teacher has to come up with a whole new system for your special little prince?
True to MDC form, homeschoolers popped into the thread (which, incidentally, was in the "Learning in School" forum. There is a "Learning at Home and Beyond" forum for homeschoolers) to further bash the public school system and belittle everyone for choosing public school. Thanks, real helpful (rolls my eyes). The favorite lament of homeschoolers is that they still have to pay taxes for public schools. I'll get into that ridiculous and brain-dead argument in a moment.
Anyway, many people in the thread argued along the lines of "we pay teacher's salaries, go they work for us." I would carefully point out that society pays everyone's salaries. Does Donald Trump print his own money? The trash collectors? The sales people? Real estate agents? Come on, what a dumb argument.
Further, the prevailing attitude towards teachers really drives me nuts. They are looked down upon, doubted, questioned, and disrespected in general. How many have heard the old adage "those who can, do; those who can't, teach." Har har har. A statistical 100% of public schools have bachelor's degrees (only 27% of the general population hold any sort of college degree, a statistic that includes associate's degrees). Nearly 50% of teachers have master's degrees (just under 10 percent of the general population holds a master's degree). I think I have proven that public school teachers are far more educated than average. Far more educated. They are also likely one of the most educated work forces in this country. It rubs me the wrong way when parents feel the need to tell teachers how to do their jobs. These teachers not only know their subject field, but they have taken many classes in child development, child psychology, adolescent psychology, history of education, and educational theory. So please, mother-who-doesn't-do homework, with whatever rinky-dink inapplicable degree you have (if you have one), stop telling this poor woman how to do her job.
Now, does this mean that parents should just butt out? Of course not. Studies have shown that children do best when there is a strong home-school connection. Children whose parents are indifferent towards their education do not value education. But it's a partnership, not a boss/employee relationship. Seriously. This homework-woman could have sat down with the teacher and worked out an alternative to homework, and had a two-way discussion on the matter. But instead she walks in with a chip on her shoulder, intent on bucking the system.
Back to the "homeschoolers shouldn't have to pay taxes for public schools" argument. Of course you should and you better be damn happy that there are public schools! There is a fundamental difference between what is best for your individual child, and what is best for society's children. We as a society benefit from having an educated population, and public school is the only way to that end. Your child will likely grow up to marry a person who attended public school. There's a decent chance that your grandchildren will go to public school. Your social security benefits, and Medicare benefits, are going to be drawn on the salaries of public school graduates. Face it, public schools are necessary and (gasp) beneficial. It's the whole "my kid is homeschooled, so why should I give a flying turd about public schools" argument that strikes me as so self-centered and self-righteous. Great attributes to teach children, by the way. There are 75.2 million children in the United States, 2.2% of them are homeschooled, and 90% of them are enrolled in public schools. Total disinterest in the public schools where almost 68 million children are educated, is a prime example of the ego centrism that is gripping our country. Not caring about public schools, in my mind, is akin to not caring about child molestation because you're not Catholic, or not caring about domestic violence because your husband doesn't beat you, or not caring about children at all if you don't have any. I just really can't wrap by brain around the whole "public schools are broken, therefore I will homeschool/private school my children" mind-frame. Well, that's all fine and dandy for your child, who is 1/75200000 of the child population. Way to go! Way to make a difference! It is absolutely a parent's job to provide the best education for their children as possible; whether it be homeschool, public school, or private school; but it is also our responsibility as a society to make sure that all children are educated in the best way possible. (Incidentally, I learned the proper use of a semi-colon in public school. Go figure.) Therefore, there is no way to, with a good conscious, turn your back on public schools, regardless of how you choose to educate your own children!
Hey, I'm a homeschooler at heart, and wish that a couple years of homeschooling would work in our family. But it doesn't. Just as it wouldn't work for the vast majority of families. We've also dabbled in private school, but that's not financially possible for us long-term. Additionally, Riley thrives in a school environment. Why would I change that? This is 100% not a rant against the various ways in which parents choose to educate their children. It is 100% absolutely a rant against the indifference towards the plight of our public schools!
Am I letting the public school parents off the hook? Oh, heck no! I think that every parent should see themselves as a home educator. If not a homeschooler, then what is popularly referred to as an "after-schooler." Everything has educational value to it! I mean, geez, when cooking I go over fractions with Riley, especially fun because I'm always doubling or halving a recipe (what is half of 1/2 cup? What's the double of 1 1/2 teaspoons?) The lack of parental involvement, in my opinion, is one of the biggest problems facing our public schools.
So, rant over.
True to MDC form, homeschoolers popped into the thread (which, incidentally, was in the "Learning in School" forum. There is a "Learning at Home and Beyond" forum for homeschoolers) to further bash the public school system and belittle everyone for choosing public school. Thanks, real helpful (rolls my eyes). The favorite lament of homeschoolers is that they still have to pay taxes for public schools. I'll get into that ridiculous and brain-dead argument in a moment.
Anyway, many people in the thread argued along the lines of "we pay teacher's salaries, go they work for us." I would carefully point out that society pays everyone's salaries. Does Donald Trump print his own money? The trash collectors? The sales people? Real estate agents? Come on, what a dumb argument.
Further, the prevailing attitude towards teachers really drives me nuts. They are looked down upon, doubted, questioned, and disrespected in general. How many have heard the old adage "those who can, do; those who can't, teach." Har har har. A statistical 100% of public schools have bachelor's degrees (only 27% of the general population hold any sort of college degree, a statistic that includes associate's degrees). Nearly 50% of teachers have master's degrees (just under 10 percent of the general population holds a master's degree). I think I have proven that public school teachers are far more educated than average. Far more educated. They are also likely one of the most educated work forces in this country. It rubs me the wrong way when parents feel the need to tell teachers how to do their jobs. These teachers not only know their subject field, but they have taken many classes in child development, child psychology, adolescent psychology, history of education, and educational theory. So please, mother-who-doesn't-do homework, with whatever rinky-dink inapplicable degree you have (if you have one), stop telling this poor woman how to do her job.
Now, does this mean that parents should just butt out? Of course not. Studies have shown that children do best when there is a strong home-school connection. Children whose parents are indifferent towards their education do not value education. But it's a partnership, not a boss/employee relationship. Seriously. This homework-woman could have sat down with the teacher and worked out an alternative to homework, and had a two-way discussion on the matter. But instead she walks in with a chip on her shoulder, intent on bucking the system.
Back to the "homeschoolers shouldn't have to pay taxes for public schools" argument. Of course you should and you better be damn happy that there are public schools! There is a fundamental difference between what is best for your individual child, and what is best for society's children. We as a society benefit from having an educated population, and public school is the only way to that end. Your child will likely grow up to marry a person who attended public school. There's a decent chance that your grandchildren will go to public school. Your social security benefits, and Medicare benefits, are going to be drawn on the salaries of public school graduates. Face it, public schools are necessary and (gasp) beneficial. It's the whole "my kid is homeschooled, so why should I give a flying turd about public schools" argument that strikes me as so self-centered and self-righteous. Great attributes to teach children, by the way. There are 75.2 million children in the United States, 2.2% of them are homeschooled, and 90% of them are enrolled in public schools. Total disinterest in the public schools where almost 68 million children are educated, is a prime example of the ego centrism that is gripping our country. Not caring about public schools, in my mind, is akin to not caring about child molestation because you're not Catholic, or not caring about domestic violence because your husband doesn't beat you, or not caring about children at all if you don't have any. I just really can't wrap by brain around the whole "public schools are broken, therefore I will homeschool/private school my children" mind-frame. Well, that's all fine and dandy for your child, who is 1/75200000 of the child population. Way to go! Way to make a difference! It is absolutely a parent's job to provide the best education for their children as possible; whether it be homeschool, public school, or private school; but it is also our responsibility as a society to make sure that all children are educated in the best way possible. (Incidentally, I learned the proper use of a semi-colon in public school. Go figure.) Therefore, there is no way to, with a good conscious, turn your back on public schools, regardless of how you choose to educate your own children!
Hey, I'm a homeschooler at heart, and wish that a couple years of homeschooling would work in our family. But it doesn't. Just as it wouldn't work for the vast majority of families. We've also dabbled in private school, but that's not financially possible for us long-term. Additionally, Riley thrives in a school environment. Why would I change that? This is 100% not a rant against the various ways in which parents choose to educate their children. It is 100% absolutely a rant against the indifference towards the plight of our public schools!
Am I letting the public school parents off the hook? Oh, heck no! I think that every parent should see themselves as a home educator. If not a homeschooler, then what is popularly referred to as an "after-schooler." Everything has educational value to it! I mean, geez, when cooking I go over fractions with Riley, especially fun because I'm always doubling or halving a recipe (what is half of 1/2 cup? What's the double of 1 1/2 teaspoons?) The lack of parental involvement, in my opinion, is one of the biggest problems facing our public schools.
So, rant over.
And can I add that I think the privatization of public schools is horrific? You should see what charter schools have done to NYC. If we lived in a different place that wasn't so infatuated with charter schools and lotteries and No Child Left Behind and Teach For America teachers, my kids would most likely be in ps. Where the hell did the old fashioned neighborhood public school go?