Why is public education essential to democracy?

I believe public education is vital to democracy for a number of reasons. First and foremost, public education can be seen as a way to equalize everyone in the country. Horace Mann, who developed the idea of the "Common School," once said, "Education, then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of men, the balance-wheel of the social machinery." Mann believed that by allowing students of all socioeconomic statuses to attend the same school, children would be afforded equal opportunity given to them in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. Mann believed that American citizens could be created in the public schools, and he advocated for a school system paid for by taxes. Unfortunately, because of his time, Mann believed the common school system should only be available to white children. However, I believe that today's public school system can provide students with equal opportunities regardless of their race, religion, gender, or socioeconomic status. (Mondale, 2001)

The second reason I believe public schools are essential to a democracy are because people cannot be informed citizens when they need to vote without an education. To be informed of the issues, citizens need to be literate and able to examine the important issues in an election. Public schools can provide them with the education and skills necessary for them to critically evaluate which candidate is best for their needs. Education level was a significant predictor for how citizens voted in the 2016 presidential election (Silver, 2016), and it will be during future elections as well because education affects their socioeconomic status, their family life, and their jobs.

The United States' education system is far from perfect. In fact, public schools in high poverty areas are not equal to public schools in affluent areas. Public schools are still highly segregated, despite the 1954 Supreme Court decision Brown v. the Board of Education. Public schools are chosen for students based on their location, and since minorities are more likely to live in poverty, schools are divided by race and socioeconomic status. These schools, according to research, "offered disproportionately fewer math, science and college-prep courses and had higher rates of students who were held back in ninth grade, suspended or expelled" (Toppo, 2016). The current American public school system is not the great equalizer it should be because of this segregation. However, it has the potential to give every student the chance at mobility and equal opportunity. If the segregation and inequality issues at public schools are resolved, they can equalize children and provide the same chances for all, just as Mann hoped. These equal opportunities will give any child a chance to be a doctor, lawyer, teacher, president, or any other thing they dream of being. It will also allow them to actively participate in their democracy. They will better understand the issues facing them and will make wiser and more informed decisions when voting for their leaders.

References

Mondale, S. (Director) (2001). The Common School: 1770-1890. School: The Story of American Education. PBS. 

Silver, N. (2016, Nov. 22). Education, not income, predicted who would vote for Trump. FiveThirtyEight. 

Retrieved from http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/education-not-income-predicted-who-would-vote-for-trump/ 

Toppo, G. (2016, May 17). GAO study: segregation worsening in U.S. schools. USA Today. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/05/17/gao-study-segregation-worsening-us-schools/84508438/