Jeff Jacoby's on board!
Secular parents square off against believers, supporters of homosexual marriage against traditionalists, those stressing "safe sex" against those who emphasize abstinence. Each wants its views reflected in the classroom. No longer is there a common understanding of the mission of public education. To the extent that one camp's vision prevails, parents in the opposing camp are embittered. And there is no prospect that this will change -- not as long as the government remains in charge of educating American children.
Which is why it's time to put an end to government control of the schools.
There is nothing indispensable about a state role in education. Parents don't expect the government to provide their children's food or clothing or medical care; there is no reason why it must provide their schooling. An educated citizenry is a vital public good, of course. But like most such goods, a competitive and responsive private sector could do a much better job of supplying it than the public sector can.
James Leroy Wilson's one-man magazine.
Monday, June 13, 2005
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The State has no incentive to provide an education with an eye toward economy of tax dollars, let alone to teach according to the values of the children's parents.
ReplyDeleteEducation is a parental responsibility. Parents and their children would be better served if they didn't pay so much in taxes for poor education, but had the resources to make educational choices for their children, based on their own - not the State's - beliefs and values.
Our nation once had no public schools, yet high literacy rates. There's no reason to believe a free market in education will produce anthing less.