Keeping the Public in Public Education

Is there anything public schools do that no other form of education can? Only this: Simply by being what they are, they can teach kids about the society they live in. That's because public schools must let everyone in. "What's unique about public education isn't the education part, it's the public." Rick Salutin

In this trenchant essay, Salutin explores and defends public education at a time when the public sector "dares not utter its name for fear of derision and worse." He simplifies complex issues with the observation that "almost anything can work" if educators are genuinely committed and teachers are respected rather than demonized. He travels to Finland to study the world's most successful public education system. He challenges the sacred cow of educational "choice" and emphasizes that public element of public education instils a natural pride in community and diversity, something no other form of teaching can offer.