The New Vogue: Public Schools
Published April 16, 2009 @ 03:04PM PT
The New York Times ran an article on April 6, 2009, called "The Sudden Charm of Public School." The article details the panic of Manhattan families who have suddenly decided, given the economic times, that they may send their kids to public schools. For families who planned on private school and didn't consider public school zones when they bought homes, they suddenly care very much which public school their kids might attend. Stating that it used to be a taboo in certain circles to even suggest you're interested in sending your kids to public schools, the article quotes one parent as saying, "Now it's actually kind of cool and in vogue." Oh, my ... what a difference a dollar and a day make. It reminds me of Barbara Mandrell's hit song years ago: "I was country ... when country wasn't cool."
The reality is that public schools have been cool for many people in the United States ever since our nation instituted the noble experiment of educating everyone. Public schools educate approximately 90% of the kids in this country, so I would welcome these newly found converts and tell them that it never was necessary or even desirable to spend $33,000 a year on private school tuition. Save the money instead for college -you'll need it there, to be sure.
For many of us who sent our kids through public schools (a choice for some, a necessity for others), what we got in return are young adults who possess the full package. I saw my own children receive topnotch academics, a full array of extra-curricular activities, and a real appreciation of the vast and great diversity of America. They attended school with a wide variety of socio-economics, languages, and cultures. Today they function well in the workplace with anyone and everyone and have no expectation that everyone will be just like them. Neither are they threatened when folks are not like them. They just understand that people come from many different places and perspectives, and it's possible to relate to them and find the things they have in common. Kids who attend diverse public schools end up with an understanding that serves them well as citizens, as we all strive for a society that includes everyone and offers everyone a chance to achieve.
I believe that a child's education is the unique and personal decision of parents, so this is not about berating anyone who ever sent or planned to send their kids to private schools. But if you're considering joining the arena of public school parents, we're glad to have you and think you'll like what you find. Sure, there are some failing schools that need attention and fixing, but the great majority of public schools are performing well - a fact that people often lose sight of.
There are some things to look for as you choose your child's school. It's good to go and visit schools. Look around and observe the environment. See if you feel welcome in the school. Successful schools welcome parent engagement and know that it's a huge factor in whether or not they will be successful at educating students. Find out if a school is effectively serving all of the students there, not just some. Ask about special programs offered which your child might need at some point. Visit a school board meeting and see how the school district is governed. Look around and see if the community around the school supports that school and understands that it should.
So while I understand that this will be a huge step for many parents who never planned to send their kids to public schools, I think you will be amazed at the richness of the experience. I know that you will better understand the challenges of American public schools and how well many of them are meeting those challenges. Your presence and interest will contribute quality not only to your own child's education but to the education of all children. And together, we will be a stronger nation.
Public schools...where all are welcome, the price is right, and the American dream lives on.
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Comments (12)
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Author
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Anne is the Executive Director of Parents for Public Schools, a national organization of community based chapters working with public school parents and other supporters to improve and strengthen local schools.
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It's hard to find the right public school with decent teachers. It's too bad that Obama doesn't care about the poor kids (the stimulus package stopped the voucher program in the DC public schools - which allowed kids who were in an awful school a voucher for a better one public or private). The way to fix public schools? 1) Get rid of the unions and 2) Decentralize the schools by giving the principals their own budgets and making them the defacto CEO of their own school. Only then will public schools in the USA have a chance at succeeding.
Posted by Lee Hernly on 04/18/2009 @ 11:12AM PT
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Lee, thank you for your response. I don't take away from your right to your opinions, but I don't happen to agree with them. Well-intentioned people can have drastically different views on how to best improve public schools. That is the great dialogue of a democracy. Voucher programs have not shown greater achievement than public school results. In addition, lifting a few kids out of a failing school and leaving the rest of them there to endure it is not an acceptable solution for anyone who cares about more than just a few kids. The answer is to find ways to fix schools that are broken. We should look to examples of those that have been fixed, and there are examples of that. After serving as a trustee for a public school district for nine years, I know there would be alot of issues with making principals the CEO of their own schools. Principals should be the instructional leaders of their schools, but being CEO has implications that would not work, in my opinion. Thanks again for your thoughts.
Posted by Anne Foster on 04/23/2009 @ 01:40PM PT
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I am facing the challenge of raising and schooling my one year old son in Costa Rica. My wife, Rosario, and I, would like to send him to the local public school when it's time for first grade, for all of the reasons you cited as advantages, except one: the "top notch academics." They may be available in many US public schools, but not here in the boonies of Costa Rica. Still, we believe that the other intrinsic advantages of public schooling are so strong that on balance they outweight the advantages of the better academics at the private schools, at least through grammar school. We want our son to be exposed to, and comfortable with, folks from all walks of life. We also want him to feel humble, and blessed by all his good fortune. And the public system is best for that. As for his academics, guess who is going to have to do a lot of extra home schooling/tutoring? That's right, Mom and Dad. Time to bone up on Google Earth (geography), and what they used to call when I was a kid, New Math . . . oh oh, how do you divide fractions without a calculator again . . .?!
Posted by tim woodruff on 05/13/2009 @ 04:13PM PT
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Tim, how wonderful to hear from you through this venue. Your thoughts about public schools in Costa Rica take this discussion to an international level --thanks! Your points about the education you want for your son are thoughtful and to the point -- you want all of the best attributes of a quality education, so that he will have the chance to reach his full potential and do what he dreams of with his life and his choices. At the same time, you realize that there are some inherent weaknesses or voids in the pubic schools system there. Don't under-estimate the ability of a few parents to improve the system and school and to demand more of the academics. Parents who make themselves known on that issue and who are willing to roll up their sleeves to help have been known to accomplish amazing feats! You and Rosario will be a formidable team in making sure he is well-educated! All the best!
Posted by Anne Foster on 05/14/2009 @ 10:57AM PT
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Anne, thanks for the reply. I can honestly say it never occurred to me to get involved in the local school system here in Costa Rica. But your suggestion makes a ton of sense. Especially in rural areas like where we live, because the impact of our involvement could be enormous. When they don't have much to begin with, I would imagine that every donated computer counts big-time . . . .
Posted by tim woodruff on 05/28/2009 @ 10:22AM PT
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Tim, based on what I have seen in Costa Rica's elementary schools in your area of the country, if you managed to come up with some used computers and get them installed in a school, this would be a huge upgrade to that school. I am sure that you could get some software donated from the States, amd what an asset this would be. Schools everywhere need the interest, support, resources, and expertise that parents can bring from all walks of life. I hope that you look into this, and I will be waiting to hear the results!
Posted by Anne Foster on 06/01/2009 @ 11:47AM PT
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Anne,
Your comments are truly inspirational. You are right, every little contribution from committed and caring parents has got to add up. Something else I could do would be to guest lecture the students. I myself love teaching and could come up with some incredible classes for the kids, in Engl and Spanish, focusing on stuff like reforestation, ecology, law, etc., of course geared to the appropriate age group. In my experience, the smaller countryside schools are usually open to this sort of ad hoc involvement, since they tend to operate on a shoestring, and are often hence delighted to get any help at all . . .
Posted by tim woodruff on 06/08/2009 @ 03:19PM PT
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Tim, Your offer to a small Costa Rican school to do the things you mentioned would be phenominal .... stuff they could never pay for. It could be very inspiring to the young kids and help them think on a big scale about what they might do someday, and how they can use their education. I hope you start soon!
Posted by Anne Foster on 06/08/2009 @ 03:25PM PT
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Anne, You have really got me thinking. What's going through my mind is, why should I wait till little Jack is ready for first grade to start helping out at the public school? I should get going way ahead of time, the better to help other kids. Also, by the time he got there, we would already have the ball rolling. I love kids and teaching, so what is stopping me from pitching in now?? Thanks again for the inspiration. Pls stay tuned for more on this!
Posted by tim woodruff on 06/18/2009 @ 03:15PM PT
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Tim, keep me posted on your efforts .. the sooner the better! Even though Costa Rica's schools lack the resources and infastructure of the US, I have always been impressed that Costa Ricans deeply value education ... and it shows in what the country has been able to achieve over the last few decades. Your involvement will make a huge difference.
Posted by Anne Foster on 06/19/2009 @ 08:53AM PT
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Anne, I am writing a paper for school on what I think public schooling needs to change. I think public schools do train kids to do well in society but I think it trains the majority to be workers and not think for themselves. In public schools they teach you how to work for money and not make money work for you. They give us knowledge but rarely teach you what to do with it. Do you think that public schools need any change? If so what do you think needs to change? I think they need to teach students how to think out of the box and create there own living, not work for someone Else's dreams. They need to teach students not to be complacent. They need to teach students how to shoot for the things they want in this life. Teach students how to foacus, have faith in there decisions,to set goals and always know where there going in life or they are just a ship at sea without a captain or destination. Most people do not know why they work or why they get up in the mourning, usually it is because they have to. These people have no goals, and never got taught to theses things in the public school system. Do you think are getting what they need to be successful in life. I do not think that students are getting what they need.
Posted by Matt Fowler on 09/03/2009 @ 12:50PM PT
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Matt, thank you for your comments and questions. You obviously have high expectations for public schools and for what students receive in their education there. I like that! I do agree that public schools need to include teaching critical thinking skills to students -- that would address many of the things you say are missing in the total education product. That is a topic of current interest to parents and others, in this era of high stakes testing that seems to leave no room for critical thinking, innovation, and creativity. The first thing to realize here is that our current laws require schools to adhere to a strict curriculum and assessment plan. So this can't all be blamed on schools. I have seen many public schools that are trying to still capture that piece of the education that demands critical thinking. And my hat is off to those schools! I think that parents are going to have to continue making their wishes known in this area not only to schools but to state Legislatures and Congress who make the laws.
The other thing I would say is that some of what you address here is clearly in the domain of parents to teach at home -- their very lives and the way they raise their kids should foster dreams and expectations in those kids. Those dreams should be coupled with a quality education that encourages and inspires these dreams, in concert with what kids get at home. Such is an ideal world, but we should work towards it for all kids! Thank you again for your thoughtfulness on this subject.
Posted by Anne Foster on 09/15/2009 @ 09:26AM PT
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