Selfishness in Education

In Urban Schools, Public Will by Norm Fruchter I recently became very interested in an article he sited about creating public change efforts in order to improve failing schools. He mentions a scenario by Paul Hill in which a mother decides to take her daughter out of public school because of its bad performance and enroll her in private school. The proceeding professional arguments by Fruchter and others about the scenario state that the mother is doing a disservice to her community. They say that in removing her daughter from public schoolsshe is affecting the general welfare of the broader community. By taking an individualistic stance on education, the opportunities for improvement in a failing school are ultimately lessened.

While I understand Fruchter’s point of view that individualistic acts undermine a strong sense of community, I can’t blame any family for acting in this way. Education is ultimately a selfish venture. When all is said and done, the education that every child receives and employs in their future endeavors is an individual gain. I believe that any parent who takes their son or daughter out of a failing public school and enrolls them in private school is completely justified.

Ultimately, parents must look out for the greater good of their offspring. If that means no reform will come to failing public schools, so be it. It is not always a top concern to look out for others, especially those who are not within immediate relations and who personally do not care about education. Students should not become martyrs by staying in schools that don’t serve their needs. Education is a personal possession and being proactive about it is the only way to achieve success.

It’s true that many parents of students in poor-performing school districts do not rally for change. Sufficient time and effort to produce change are not always readily available. Parents in urban districts work hard to make a living and simply do not always have the time to be involved in significant educational change. Therefore, when taking time, money and effort into account, a simple fix like switching schools is a selfish, but justified response to a failing school.