Maynard Thomson: School Choice

A recent op-ed, “Cordelli’s Real Record,” is a bill of particulars by which the writer purports to demonstrate “how little the Republican Carroll County delegation supports public education.” I’ll leave to others the writer’s characterization of the specific policies the named representatives’ allegedly embrace. Let’s look instead at the underlying premise of several of her claims — a standard assumption common to those hostile to school choice, here and across the country: that “public education” and “public schools” are one and the same, and therefore any diversion of public resources from public schools is tantamount to depriving public education of support.

This is a category error. Most people view educating the young a public good, and thus appropriate for public financial support, via taxes. Nothing in this public undertaking logically requires the public to own school buildings or employ school staff. “Education” is the public objective; where it’s delivered should be irrelevant.