Conservatives shouldn’t give up on public schools

Conservatives are right to be concerned about the state of public education . However, the tendency to view all public schooling as bad and something that should be avoided is harmful to students themselves.

Unlike many leftists, conservatives prize the freedom of school choice . What works best for each child is not universal. Since family structure and resources differ, no one should be forced to choose a specific route, whether that be home schooling, private schooling, or public schooling. In this area, conservatives should take their own advice. Home schooling has many benefits, but it is neither feasible nor the best choice for all.

Our family is one of these cases. My 5-year-old son just successfully completed kindergarten at a public school. This is no small feat given his expressive speech delay. He has been receiving speech therapy since the age of 2. The therapy has been vital to his development. It has been a long road to this point, and there are many years left before he will phase out of that therapy.

He qualified for and receives therapy through the local school district. His kindergarten experience would not have been possible in a home setting with me as his teacher. Not only does therapy aid his growth, but daily immersion among his peers in the classroom and social settings has been essential. Being around children whose communication skills surpass his own has only helped and never hindered him.

We are deeply involved in my son’s education and have been from the start. That will continue as he grows older. Every parent should do the same. Sending children off to school outside the home does not mean parents can or should run on autopilot. But it also does not mean that encountering problems with teachers or the district should automatically point a family to home schooling. While we talk, read, play, and do worksheets and exercises with him at home, he needs more. Our son would actually be worse off if he wasn’t surrounded by dozens of peers, learning age-appropriate communication and cues, and receiving regular therapy from a licensed speech pathologist.

There are some who can provide for all the educational needs of their children in their own homes. Neither choice should be maligned.

CRT and pandemic mitigation efforts such as masking have brought parental rights into focus as never before. In March, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill requiring curriculum transparency. This is a major win for all who value upfront honesty from those who teach our children.

But it’s far too easy to go beyond that and say conservatives should remove their children from public schools altogether. The problem with this argument is that there can be no influence for the better if everyone on the Right escapes to private school or home schooling. Any power to demand transparency and fairness is lost if voices disappear.

The overwhelming majority of teachers and district leaders want what is best for children. Unfortunately, they are drowned out by a vocal minority drunk on pushing progressive ideologies on young minds. Each district needs conservative parents and families to affect the present and future.

The same can be said for influence in the higher education sector. Conservatives shouldn’t flee colleges and universities because of leftist influence or pressure. In fact, those realities should drive a persistence to stay, highlight wrong, and fight for change.

Public schools are worth fighting for and improving. My son is one of many whose future is brighter because of his experience in public school. Concerned parents should stay vigilant and encourage school choice but address issues that remain in schools. Leaving public schools entirely will only harm the future of public education as a whole and be detrimental to children like my son.

Kimberly Ross ( @SouthernKeeks ) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.

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