The New York Times has just published a fascinating article headlined “In Public School Efforts, a Common Background: Private Education.” It lists a very, very long number of key leaders whose actions, in my opinion, are doing great harm public school education — and they all attended private schools.
The list includes Michelle Rhee, Arne Duncan, Bill Gates, and even President Obama.
Here’s an excerpt:
Does a private school background give them a much-needed distance and fresh perspective to better critique and remake traditional public schools? Does it make them distrust public schools — or even worse — poison their perception of them? Or does it make any difference?
Your call.
I have friends that attended private schools and they are quick to list all they things they would do to “fix” public education. As both a student of and teacher in public education, I feel I know better than they. Regardless, they plan to send their children to private schools and I plan to send mine to public schools.