Public Schools

By Patrick W. Maple

Public vs Private

It is estimated that over 4 Billion people worldwide have been educated and are being educated by this Tried and True system. In fact you who are reading this are most likely a graduate of this system. This is not a bashing of private schools either, just a "heads up" on the reality of each system:

1. Public schools are REQUIRED by law to educate ANY child until the age of eighteen. Which means we have no CHOICE!

2. Public schools must provide services for ANY handicapped or mentally challenged student including, interpreters, signers, therapists or nursing. Which I am a PROPONENT of. I say that we are all born with one strike...these kids are born with two...I WILL NOT give them their third strike!

3. Public schools must provide counseling to struggling students, provide tutors if necessary, give instruction in as many as 159 languages/dialects, provide services for children who are dyslexic or have verbal skills problems.

4. Public schools must provide classrooms each year for often an unknown number of students...we can't just cut off the population because we are too full.

5. Public schools must provide sex education, pregnancy counseling, nursing, babysitting, home visits, an education even to students who are incarcerated or homeless.

6. Public school TEACHERS have to know ALL of the above, be trained in those areas, keep adding to their education knowledge, often pay for their own supplies and sometimes even be a pal to the student. All of this while worrying about their well being and safety.

My view of private education is that they are doing a wonderful job. My view of public schools are that they are doing a FANTASTIC job. Are improvements needed? We ALL can use a tune-up now and then. But we never give up