Public schools are a 19th century paradigm that outlived its usefulness in the early 21st century. Its primary strength for most families is as a free daycare.
If the progressives hadn’t corrupted them, dumbed them down and used them to press their agendas they would still be okay.
From the days when Bella Dodd and others were using education to advance communism (see School of Darkness, in PDF form for download)’ and before, to the present when Bill Ayers is a “respected” educator of teachers the Left has been on the move while many were asleep at the wheel).
Ditto >50% of post-secondary indoctrination, truth be known.
Actually, public schools weren’t around in the 19th century (although public financing of schools goes back to the Plymouth colonists).