"When I was at school, learning about democracy and citizenship in school was a bit like reading holiday brochures in prison."
Derry Hannam |
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Myths of Government Schooling
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| Myth #1: The United States was founded on a philosophy or principle of "public" education; thus, the public school system is the Holy Cornerstone of Democracy.
Myth #2: Government schools are truly "public" schools.
Myth #3: "Private" schools are more expensive than "public" schools, and it follows, therefore, that only the rich can afford them; that's why we need "public" schooling.
Myth #4: We are a more literate nation today than we were prior to compulsory government schooling.
Myth #5: Before the government take-over of education, there weren't enough schools, and many parents neglected their children's education.
Myth #6: The "public" schools would improve if only they had enough money to do the job right. |
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Myth #2: Government schools are truly "public" schools.
As Douglas Dewey points out in How to Separate School and State: A Primer (Foundation for Economic Liberty), "Government schools are public the way jails and departments of motor vehicles are public, not the way parks, libraries, or hardware stores are public. Try living in southeast Washington, D.C., and sending your child to the "public" school a few miles away in McLean, Virginia!"
Most "private" schools, on the other hand, will accept just about any child who wishes to attend, no matter where the child lives, even across state lines.
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