The myth of the old-fashioned, behind-the-times traditional public school is wrong
Charter schools aren’t inherently more innovative than traditional, neighborhood schools.
If you listen to the likes of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, the Walton Family, and others bent on privatizing public education, traditional public schools are nothing but bloated bureaucracies that are behind the times.
DeVos says the American public education system is a “dead end,” a “closed system that relies on one-size-fits-all solutions.”
The Foundation for Economic Education, a libertarian think tank with ties to the Koch brothers, says public schools develop “mindless zombies” instead of “individual minds.”
These myths justify most arguments for charter schools, which are publicly funded but privately operated. Charter schools are simply more “flexible” and “innovative,” supporters say. More transparency and accountability for how they spend public dollars would only “add needless bureaucracy.”
Well, the myths are wrong. A simple Google search turns up countless examples of public school districts, leaders, and teachers, doing remarkable and innovative things just this week.
A Wisconsin elementary school is turning into a community school, planning to offer medical assistance, auto repair, transportation, and other services to parents and local residents.
Pittsburgh Public Schools is integrating reading and math with bike rides, gardening workshops, and other enrichment activities.
A new documentary highlights Puerto Rico’s Nuestra Escuela, a public school that assigns a social worker to every student.
An Iowa school district is launching a podcast of conversations with district and community members.
Another Iowa district is teaching yoga and meditation to elementary school students, while studying the outcomes using student surveys.
Meanwhile, many a charter school is simply duplicating what’s going on in traditional public schools. Large chains sometimes even dictate materials and curricula from their corporate headquarters. At Rocketship, if a teacher or even principal believes a given software product isn’t appropriate for a set of students, they aren’t allowed to change the program.
It’s time to put those pesky myths to bed for good.
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