Should "Public Schooling" Be Redefined?

Should "Public Schooling" Be Redefined?

Introduction

The question of whether public schools should be redefined is a controversial issue. Although the amount of funding in many public schools is low this is not something the school can have control over. According to American Education, “The problem is that how much money spent per public school student varies between school districts because of differences in local property taxes. There are differences between school districts in the value of the property to be taxed and the amount a community is willing to tax its property”. School funding in public schools will not increase if the school is in located in a low income community because people are not willing to pay higher taxes. A public school does not need to be redefined if it has a moral education and a challenging standard curriculum offered to the students. According to the issue, Should “Public Schooling Be Redefined? (Nathan, 2004), “Gatto condemned the public school system for its emphasis on obedience and subordination rather than unleashing of the intellectual and creative powers of the individual”. If a public school is not succeeding and it provides the best education it can and opportunities for the students that school should not be redefined because it will not change to efforts of the students in the school.

The nation's problems have shifted significantly since the founding of public schools in the 18th century(Hess, 2004). At that time the nation was immersed with huge influxes of immigrants, planning the development of great urban centers and gearing up for the production demands of industrialization. Since that time, the information age has come forth and the world has become significantly smaller with the increased use and invention of innovative technology. So, now public schools must consider their purpose in current times and determine if there is a need to redefine public schools.

The Impact of NCLB on the Purpose of Schools

The purpose of public schools must be redefined in the information age where parents have increased choices for the education of their children. The importance of creating shared understandings of the essential ideas driving the mission of public schools cannot be underestimated. If the mission of public schools, driven by the mandates of NCLB, is askew, confounded or irrelevant in these times, then it is critical to redefine that mission in order to ensure the core operation of schools is not mired in waste. In clarifying the essential idea of what the purpose of schools is, it is possible to focus resources for maximum effectiveness. By developing shared thinking about the purpose of schools is, innovation can be fostered and a climate for continuous improvement realized(Reeves, 2000).

According to Webster's Dictionary, the definition of public is “pertaining to or affecting the people or community, for everyone's use,” and the definition of pertain is “to be appropriate or fitting.” Following these definitions, I believe public schools are not fitting the needs of the community. The need for schools to carry ...