Should We Leave Public vs Private Alone?

In doing my research I came across an article (link below) that challenged the idea that private education is distinct and separate from a public education. In the article Doug Tuthill argues that with charter schools and other laws that are in place, the line between public vs private is blurry. Charter schools are private in almost all aspects except that they are tuition free. They are privately owned and privately staffed. President Obama has continually vowed to increase support for charter schools. The question is, who gets to go to these schools? The answer may be as simple as: whoever fits the school the best. A charter school is often viewed as a better way of learning than a normal public school. But why? Yes the building is different and class size may be smaller, but education is education. Tuthill takes the perspective that education should not be looked at as private vs charter vs public. Instead, by taking the view of education for all as a whole, the system is just one of finding the best fit for a child. That can be a public institution or a private one. Tuthill argues that private education is not an attack on public education and that those who view it as such need to see it for what it can be. At its best, public and private education work to strengthen each other, not work at odds.

Tuthill raises an intriguing argument. It is his belief that there should not be so much talk and effort in complaining about, analyzing, and changing the way public and private education interact. What Tuthill is pushing for is a world in which public and private interact to provide the best educational system. He provides examples of how this is already occurring with public money to private schools and money to public schools to fund private tutors and programs. Tuthill's ideal world, however, is just that. He does not bring up the socialecnomic factors that influence public and private schooling. There is still a lack of opportunity for those who are less well-off to attend a private school. They have no choice. I believe that Tuthill realizes this, but in his mind as long as both private and public are working together, both can provide an equal education and erase the educational differences that are perceived. However, even if the schools were equal academically in all aspects, the fact that private schooling is simply not an option for many students still leaves a feeling of inferiority. The idea that they cannot have what someone else can. Exclusion. As long as this persists there must be discussion about the issue. There must be a focus on the separation just for the fact that it exists. Without the constant banter, we risk losing the relationship that public and private schools already have.

I agree that the focus needs to be on education as a whole. It needs to be about developing an institution that benefits all equally. But that is not what exists. Until public and private schools have equal graduation rates and equal students attending college there will be talk about the fairness of the system. And even if these statistics were to be equal, the reality that some schooling is unavailable to many people will keep the debate going and going.

Rethinking Public vs Private (starts on pg 44, then scroll up to pg 28)
By: Doug Tuthill
Education Week
January 21, 2009