Miriam K Freedman: One Radical Idea to Fix Public Schools

Miriam K. Freedman writes that there’s a simple solution to solving public education’s problems: Close all private schools.

If we are really serious about fixing public schools, here is one way to do just that! It is the single, quickest, and most sure-fired way to improve our schools. It’s common sense, really. But it probably won’t happen.

A lot is on the line. Without radical change, we just tinker on the edges of reform, afraid to confront various realities and stakeholders. But education should be about providing necessary learning opportunities to the next generation, not about today’s interest groups.
Ready for that one way?

Miriam K. Freedman

Close all private schools.

Admittedly, a most radical step that is politically unfeasible. But hear me out on this one! This step will force all students (the very rich, the very poor, the smart, the average, the disabled, the at-risk, and everyone in between) into public schools, creating overwhelming pressure to fix them at last. Imagine CEOs, for example, in New York City, Silicon Valley, Detroit, and Houston and Senators, Representatives, and Presidents—all sending their children to public school! Parents, no longer able to vote with their feet and pull their own children out of the publics, will push for radical reform. Only in that way, schools will matter for everyone — not just for other people’s children.

Here are several wonderful examples of the new vision:

Education will focus on teaching all children where they are and taking them where they need to be. We will no longer focus solely on closing gaps for students without basic skills—but will focus on closing gaps for all students, including those at the top of their class who need challenges. We will bring back vocational programs, academically advanced programs—whatever all students need.
Regarding school discipline, students who disrupt classes and violate school rules will be removed to alternative programs without costly litigation that ties the hands of schools, adds disrespect for educators, and damages opportunities for all students. We will become more savvy about drop out prevention and discipline policies. Everyone outside the chattering classes knows that these behavioral issues are the elephant in the public education room. Disruption and time away from learning are key reasons that parents opt out and choose home or private schooling. Parents want their children to learn—not to waste time. Parents want teachers to teach—not face endless distractions. We will get honest about this.
Teachers will no longer be scorned. As a former teacher, I find the current climate painful. We will rebuild trust between schools and families. With basic respect and trust, reform efforts will no longer flounder. We will treat educators as the experts they are. In my experience, most of them are good enough. We will honor their profession, whether through higher pay, creative training and mentoring, quick and efficient removal of the few who are not up to par, paperwork burden relief, even apples for the teacher, or whatever.
We will allow only bureaucratic requirements that directly improve teaching and learning, and will trash all others.
We will demand that parents play their part. Schools cannot educate children alone. Parents must be positive partners to help their children and support the schools. We will change laws that do the opposite, that treat parents as consumers of services and passive participants in improving outcomes, and even require some to advocate for children against the schools! We will see that parents help children with schoolwork, feed and clothe children appropriately, and put them to bed at night. Common sense will return to center stage.

Enough said. You get the idea. Before long, policies for the good of all children will return to public education. Schools will again be not just for other people’s children. I’d predict that within a year, our schools would be fixed, even in the inner cities–kids would learn, discipline would be in place, teachers would have time to teach, and the sun would shine upon us all.

Miriam Kurtzig Freedman is a lawyer, speaker, consultant, and author, and an expert in public education law. For more than 30 years, Miriam has worked with educators, parents, policy makers, and citizens to deal with the legal requirements which impact schools. Miriam translates complex legalese into plain English, and focuses on good preventive practices. For more information, visit her website, www.schoollawpro.com.

Comments

Fix public schools by closing all private schools? No way! But, read on… | School Law Pro

September 22, 2011 at 8:22 am

[...] http://www.educationnews.org/education-policy-and-politics/miriam-k-freedman-one-radical-idea-to-fix... [...]

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- Jim Eckland
  
  September 23, 2011 at 3:46 am
  
  Why don’t we just rip up the Constitution at the same time? Perhaps we should close down the public Schools and stimulate Private school for all using some of our Property tax $$
  
  One curriculum….More indoctrination for our youth instead of Academics
  
  Reply
- Bill Bledsoe
  
  September 25, 2011 at 2:58 pm
  
  If you think for one minute that public schools only will cause
  parents to demand reform, your head is where?
  A large part of America’s problem today IS public uneducation….
  no one is taught the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence,
  America’s heritage…..we are indoctrinated to believe we are
  “citizens of the world!” How sad!
  
  Reply
Future commentary

September 22, 2011 at 4:38 pm

I was disappointed to find that Ms. Freedman’s supposed remedies for public school problems were not rational. As a longtime worker in that area, the arguments, such as those by her, almost never gain traction. In short, there is no genuine problems in public schools that enroll children from upper-income homes. To the opposite, the schools to which parents with low-incomes send their children are an entirely different matter. Here children often enter schools hungry, sleepy, angry, sick, emotionally disturbed, and a host of other emotional handicaps. In short, until federal, state, and local authorities stop such harm to children the nation will find it has to
simply write-off the future lives of these children as useless.

Dr. Patrick Groff, Professor of Education Emeritus, S

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Doug Hering

September 22, 2011 at 7:08 pm

I have to agree with Dr. Groff. The idea that wealthy people who spend the money and time to get their kid in exclusive private schools will all of a sudden care about something other than their own neighborhood schools (which are almost always usually great schools) is very optimistic.

In addition, the idea that parents who currently do not care about their children’s education just because we pass laws to require them to be involved defies everything we know about how difficult it is to legislate behavior.

I don’t think this idea has any chance of working, even if it were “politically feasible.”

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john solis

September 23, 2011 at 2:12 pm

… there is a solution that is obvious, simple and wrong.

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Literatus

September 25, 2011 at 12:00 pm

“I’d predict that within a year, our schools would be fixed, even in the inner cities–kids would learn, discipline would be in place, teachers would have time to teach, and the sun would shine upon us all.”

If you believe the above, you’re an EXTREMELY naive woman. The problems in our schools stem from a deep-seated cultural malaise, and such things aren’t remedied by a silly, simplistic reshuffling of the deck chairs. Please grow up, madam.

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miriam kurtzig freedman

September 29, 2011 at 5:47 am

I have read the comments with great interest. Thanks to all of you with your thoughtful comments. I was glad to see this ‘radical’ idea raise eyebrows and concerns. It is a far-fetched no doubt, and as I wrote, it will not happen.

Of course, my goal is not to close private schools. The Constitution is safe. This is not politically (or practically) or in any other way, feasible.

My goal is to stimulate a level of urgency to improve ALL schools. How do we create reform for all of children, not just other people’s?

You do have other ‘radical’ ideas for doing that?

Thanks again. It’s a good discussion.

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- Trevon
  
  October 12, 2011 at 6:19 am
  
  You got people talking! Check out a response to this article: http://schoolchoiceweek.com/Blog/2011-10-no-choice
  
  Reply
  - miriam kurtzig freedman
    
    October 16, 2011 at 1:00 am
    
    Thanks for this response. I’m so glad you had a lively discussion in Austin and would have loved to be there!
    
    In terms of choice, who would be against choices for parents for their children? But, the numbers are not there. After all these years, we have barely 3% of all students in choice programs: charters, vouchers, etc. Some cities and states have more–some fewer. It’s not that easy to start an excellent charter school, after all.
    So , how do you propose to scale it up? I’d rather see us focus on fixing our public schools–which is where the students and moneys already are. Thus, my radical piece.
    
    One other concern, of course, is that choice fosters the continuing balkanization of different groups–everyone to his own choice school. Just as we now watch our ‘own’ news programs and search enginges find our niche and gives us that–evading the wider world view, what about our common good? Our nation as a whole? America’s schools used to be the incubator for the ‘melting pot.’ Whither that?
    
    Anyway, excellent discussion and I thank you very much.
    
    Reply
Greg Smith

October 4, 2011 at 5:05 am

Don’t believe it when Ms Freedman says “The Constitution is safe.”

As a school attorney, Ms Freedman works exclusively for administrators and against parents, teachers and students.

It’s likely she has forced dozens of families and teachers to give up their 1st amendment rights.

See the last comment here:
http://www.educationnews.org/education-policy-and-politics/miriam-k-freedman-lets-prioritize-special-education-reform/

It’s also likely that she has blocked dozens of children from attending private SPED schools and forced many out of school entirely.

Here’s a radical idea to improve public schools: how about we never ask parents or children or anyone else to give up their right to free speech?

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