But this valuable treasure that we call public education is in danger. There are those on the right-wing who would like to abolish public education and return to a time when only those who can afford private schools can get an education. They know they cannot come right out abd abolish public education in one fell-swoop, so there are trying to do it incrementally.
Cassandra Vert over at Politicususa has written an excellent post showing just how these far right-wingers are trying to accomplish this nefarious feat. I urge you to go and read her entire article, but here is a little of what she has to say:
We have lost so many rights since 1980, but for most there is no defining moment when it happened. They are eroded little by little. Each incremental step doesn’t seem harmful. There may be people warning against dire consequences, but the sky doesn’t fall, and so we dismiss the warnings. Then one day we realize we no longer have clean water, workplace safety, or class action suits.
Yes, the same thing could happen with public education, and there are—have been—key Republican influencers like Betsy De Vos working toward making that happen. Each step seems oh-so-reasonable at the time. We get used to the new norm, then get nudged into the next step. The strategy counts on us not paying attention to the long-term impact, just the impact of each little step. We need to understand where this road is taking us to be able to muster the resolve to resist it.
Start with public schools whose teachers and curricula are accredited and approved by the state.
STEP 1. Carve out an exception.
Argument: We must have an exception for parochial schools. Having parochial teachers and curricula dictated by the state would be an unacceptable exercise of state authority over the church.
STEP 2. Expand the exception, promote a preference for privatization.
Argument: Now that we have seen that parochial schools can provide a good education without state accreditation, we should allow all private schools to be exempt from accreditation as well. This will allow them room to do what private sector schools can do best: innovate and advance standards in education. If they do a bad job, the free market will make sure that they go out of business.
STEP 3. Transition education from public to private management with vouchers.
Argument 1 competition: It is unfair that private schools should have to compete with subsidized public schools. This is not a level playing field. Even if we in private schools offer a better education, it’s hard to compete with free. Why not give families vouchers and let education providers compete? Whoever offers the best education product will win the market, and with the best education, everyone wins. Generally, this argument appeals more to the right.
Argument 2 equal opportunity: It is unfair that only children from rich families should be able to attend innovative private schools. The best education should be available to all children. The government holds poor and middle class students back. Vouchers would create equal opportunities for students to attend the schools they choose. Generally, this argument appeals more to the left.
STEP 4. Transition from vouchers to fee for service
Argument 1 efficiency: It is inefficient for the state to collect taxpayer money for schools just to give it back to taxpayers as a voucher. That makes the state an unnecessary middleman. In future, states will simply leave taxes in the hands of taxpayers, who know best how to use that money toward education.
Argument 2 fairness: The percentage of the population with children in school is very small, yet we tax everybody to support schools that are only used by a few. Schools should be funded by those who use them.
Voila! Education is no longer a right; it is a commodity. You have no more right to a good education than you do to a 65” television.
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