Originally published on Medium on September 13, 2019.
Yesterday we had curriculum night at our daughter’s elementary school. All-in-all, I liked what I heard. It sounds like the academic programs are strong, the enrichment programs were varied, and there is a real emphasis on community building and social and emotional intelligence.A lot of this is because of the activities of a very strong and, critically, a very well funded PTSA. The PTSA even funds teachers aids to improve the adult to child ratio in the classrooms.
This is where I get to the part I didn’t like. All the talk of what the PTSA did with donated money emphasized how much inequity there is in the public school system. A lot of what makes our elementary great comes from the ability of many of the parents in the area to make significant donations to the school. What should be the baseline quality of education becomes something we get because we can afford to live where we do. I love that we have great public schools, but the emphasis on all the great things our school can do because of parental donations almost makes me feel like a private school would be a more honest choice — at least then everyone is on the same page about being able to trade financial privilege for a better education.
Note that I’m not saying we should restrict parental donations and involvement. Schools are a crucial part of community building and parental involvement is a crucial part of educational outcomes. Plus, local communities should have the freedom and flexibility to customize their schools to fit their local needs and values.
However, parental funding and involvement shouldn’t be necessary to provide a good baseline educational experience. The funding for that experience should be fully funded by public dollars.