The Tragedy of the Schools: Many parents are losing faith in their closed public schools

Wall Street Journal ^ | February 3, 2021 | Daniel Henninger

[karpov]

Among its multiple alterations, the coronavirus pandemic of 2020-21 may be undermining the role of public schools in the United States, in place since the middle of the 19th century. It is a reassessment that is long overdue.

A relevant anecdote is Ronald Reagan’s famous explanation that he didn’t leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left him. Across the country the past year, that has been the experience of parents with children in many of the nation’s public systems—abandoned by schools they’ve supported with their tax dollars.

In Chicago, the nation’s third-largest system is on the brink of a strike, despite pleas from the city’s progressive mayor, Lori Lightfoot, for the teachers to return. Unions are resisting opening in Los Angeles, Boston, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Washington. Michael Mulgrew, head of the teachers union in New York City, says the schools may not open “until September.”

San Francisco’s Board of Education has enough time on its hands to vote 6-1 to cancel the names of 44 Americans from their public schools. On Wednesday, the city sued its own school board for failing to get the schools open.

Though teaching modes vary by state, what data exist suggests in-person teaching at public schools is below 25%, while it’s about 60% at private schools, which have largely reopened.

[hinckley buzzard]

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 provided for free public education in the territories where states were forming, a basically the Great Lakes area. Sections of land were dedicated to the support of education through being leased to farmers for growing crops. Free public education predates the ratification of the Constitution.

[Herakles]

Probably just realized the public school system is just a democratic leftist socialist scheme to pillage them for money and producing ignorant little socialist whose greatest aspirations is to flip burgers with the robots at McDonald’s.

[BobL]

Any conservative STILL sending their kids to public schools these days might as well hire pedophiles as baby sitters, it’s really no different.

[vpintheak]

That has to be an exception, and not the rule. Our teachers in the school District, were squawking about being “safe” and the military input (part of our school district) was to remain closed, to support military readiness of course.
Elementary schools have been open for those who want it, now for 3 weeks with no trouble; and this week the HS opened.
I understand the changes are hard. However, teachers didn’t have to chase kids all day. No recess duties. No extra sports things, or activities that were happening previously.
They were happy to take the same pay while many people were out of work, though.