Defense of Public School

Nora Geoghegan

Staff Writer

In a world with varying forms of educational outlets, it’s best to remind ourselves of the true pillar of education: the public school.

Public schools are an extremely beneficial form of education, as there is no tuition cost to attend. Unlike private schools, public schools save you thousands of dollars in unnecessary spending. This allows for a wide variety of children to receive a quality education.

Given the lack of financial liability, public schools also allow for a diverse range of students to attend, giving children a chance to expose themselves to various cultures and social backgrounds different to theirs. For example, I had a friend in elementary school whose first language was Portuguese and whose parents were from Brazil.

I was able to learn a lot about the Portuguese language and Brazilian culture by becoming friends with her through school, which isn’t typically the case at private schools which contain a homogenous group of children, sometimes of the same religion.

Public schools also offer many valuable programs such as English as a Second Language, sports, arts, and academic focused programs.

For example, my school is home to a renowned music program, which has allowed ensembles to play at Symphony Hall in Boston! Most private schools, on the other hand, offer more narrow and specialized programs.

Public schools also have much stricter qualifications for educators, requiring them to be licensed by the state and obtain a degree in education. However, given the financial independence of private schools, they do not require this, which is a major disadvantage to students’ education in which they are paying for..

Public schools also offer a variety of support services such as transportation and meals, which is beneficial to children who do not have the financial means to afford quality food, or be driven by a parent or guardian to school. In addition, public schools offer special education programs which benefit students with disabilities. Unlike public schools, private schools aren’t legally required to offer these to their students, given that they aren’t funded by the government.

All in all, public schools offer a more diverse and rewarding learning environment, and should be highly considered before entering the college realm if chosen to do so.