September 22, 2020

What is public school education, and why is it so important?

“Widespread public access to knowledge, like public education, is one of the pillars of our democracy, a guarantee that we can maintain a well-informed citizenry.”

Scott Turow – American author and lawyer

No one disagrees with the importance of a good education in setting up students well for the future, and the world of work.

The question is: what type of school will be the best to meet the needs of each individual student?

Here in Alberta, we have multiple systems including public, separate, francophone, (where multiple choices exist) and in addition, we also have charter, home school and private schools. All of these school choices are publicly-funded with the tax dollars you and I pay each year.

There is a vast world of difference between public schools and publicly-funded schools.

Of the different types of schools in Alberta, only public schools admit each and every student, regardless of background or ability. Other types of schools can pick and choose which students they want, and not admit others – yet all receive a share of the same tax dollars that you and I pay to the provincial government.

However, there are a significant number of advantages in choosing a public school and a public school education, no matter what age we’re living in.

The first advantage of public schools is diversity in Alberta public schools, with students from every socio-economic background, culture, language and ability. In his book, Keeping the Public in Public Education, former Globe and Mail reporter Rick Salutin wrote that public schools are a microcosm of society: “In public schools, the medium really is the message; the classroom is the curriculum.”

When our classrooms are working as they should be, each student learns not just to be “tolerant” or “accepting” of others – they learn to celebrate and welcome the differences of others.

As a result, students in Alberta public schools also get a deep appreciation of the value and importance of good citizenship. While students in more selective schools learn social skills, they don’t necessarily have the same opportunity to learn how to negotiate and create understanding with others who have conflicting differences of opinion because the students all tend to have the same religious or other worldview, the same athletic or artistic talent.

Students in public schools learn other great life lessons – one of which is equality.

Because students in public schools are surrounded daily with other students from different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, they are generally less judgmental and more inclusive of others.

But don’t take my word for it. Consider this statement from a 2017 article in the Huffington Post by Steven Singer, entitled “Top Ten Reasons Public Schools are the BEST Choice for Children, Parents and Communities”. Referring to a post from The Century Foundation on school integration in the U.S., Singer stated that, “The more diverse an environment they (students) grow up in, the more well-adjusted they will be for the adult world, and the less racist, sexist and prejudiced they’ll probably become.”

There are many other reasons to choose a public school education – one of which is affordability. For the most part, there is no tuition charge to attend a public school – unless you choose one of the many alternative programs within the public school system. Program choice is another wonderful advantage within the public school system: everything from religious, athletic and cultural programs to advanced instruction and special education.

Another advantage of public schools is proximity: most public schools are reasonably close to the students they serve and are accessible via school buses, as well as public transportation in urban settings.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the qualifications of the teachers are another great reason to choose public schools. All classes are taught with the Alberta curriculum and with highly-qualified, certified teachers who often possess more than one university degree.

Why are public schools – and all these great advantages – so important? They help our students to grow up to be good citizens, ready for the world of work and society, and to take over and lead Albertans into a great future.

These are just some of the many reasons I’m proud to be a locally-elected, public school board trustee, and just some of the reasons public schools are the BEST choice for children, parents and communities.