I’ve been involved personally and professionally with many schools. Many. Many more than the typical parent. I’ve had my kids in public and private schools, and do not rely on the schools to do the whole job.
Private schools are not without their internal and partisan politics. Private schools often have kids that get kicked out of public schools. Private schools have their own challenges with the same social problems affecting the community....drugs, teen sex, crappy parents, incompetent teachers, etc. Do not think for a moment that private schools are great just because parents pay personal tuition. Private schools have their haves and have nots and social divisions run just as deep.
You’ve framed the question interestingly, trying to corner me in an argument I did not champion, specifically that kids SHOULD be publicly schooled.
What I’ll say is something that few will say...GIGO...that the school is often a reflection of the community and when the community has a low achieving population it is not realistic to have the same expectations as with a community full of achievement oriented people.
In smaller communities the schools are still run by elected board members and staffed by those who live and work in that community. They have a stake in the school, and very little would be different if the school was privatized...same kids, same staff.
Even in the most politically liberal school I ever had my kids in, they were still responsive to my concerns when I voiced them. I objected to the use of “The Giver” and another book that demonized the Americans for using the atom bomb on Japan. The school said I was the first parent to ever object to those books, which I sincerely doubt.
Should DC run or even influence public schools? No.
Should the community? Absolutely.
Can that happen in public as well as private schools? Sure.
Homeschooling is a whole other discussion. It cannot be advocated/mandated as some wish without changing the fabric of society in ways that would take decades.
Does that answer your question?
“Does that answer your question?”
I suppose. No hostility intended.
I don’t regard public, private, or home schools to be the answer to every problem. I just wondered what your reason(s) were for defending our current public school system.