Depending on who is looking at the numbers, public education in this state is either:
A) Awash in money and frittering away tax dollars on everything but readin’, writin’, and ‘rithmetic, or;
B) Woefully underfunded, ranking near last of all states in critical areas such class size, and the bottom is not yet in sight.
As with most polarized positions on public policy issues these days, neither side has a lock on the truth, but contain just enough nuanced reality to make it sound plausible. Constructive dialogue needs to start with an acknowledgement that life is rarely black or white.
Yes, compared with yesteryear, public education is awash in money. However, that wave of cold cash also swamped the system with mandates to deliver all sorts of social services along with the ABC’s and times tables. And no, holding parents accountable doesn’t work if there isn’t one – let alone two – to come to a parent-teacher conference.
Yes, class sizes are growing and Washington is in danger of replacing Mississippi as the punch line to education jokes. But, taxpayers are stretched thin; teachers are taxpayers, too, and know this as well as anyone.
So where is the solution?
One piece of the answer recently was put forth by some parents in the Shoreline School District. When faced with districtwide layoffs, they made the uncomfortable offer to buy a teacher for their children at their school. After some rationalization and with great caution, the school board said, “Yes.”
For those raised with the concept of equal access for all, the idea was shocking. The reality, however, is that something drastic must be done to better fund public education.
Taxes will never be adequate because they are tempered in the great moderating fires of politics. A basic cultural change is needed, to allow public education to solicit private donations as a supplement to tax funding while standing ground against undue influence by any donor.
Public education makes the case that everyone pays because everyone benefits. That’s what the tax system accomplishes, but let’s also open an avenue for those who have more at stake to give to their schools and their children – and everyone’s futures.
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