Truthfully, there is not one specific and only answer when it is asked about the meaning or purpose of public schools. Nevertheless, it has been stated that these schools go through a set of issues while keeping themselves standing, by even going beyond what’s to be expected from them. From one’s experience and certain perspectives, the educational system of public schools has continued a critical path in striving to teach its students. Using the same method/idea of students learning the same material as previous students and not considering the difference between each & every one of its students. This has been highlighted by a well-known YouTuber called Prince Ea, dedicating a video of his own on the matter of how messed up & unjust a school system really is. He expresses it is, “educational malpractice,” which has a teacher stands and teaches several children that “each one having different strains, different needs, different gifts, different dreams” but they are taught “the same thing, the same way. That’s horrific.” (2:45-48) What he also adds to oppose the corruption of the system is the effect it has on teachers’ skills worth. They are still given insufficient pay for the same efforts they are pushed to teach kids. While I’m currently bringing up what makes public schools inefficient and malicious, I do want to explain that it’s the students and teachers that fulfill the necessity for public schools to still be present. As known by most, we had been under a pandemic caused by a virus, Covid-19. This event/moment led to a great earthquake over the students & teachers to go to school (in-person) and public schools in the nation to take a hit from the absence of both sources that allow them to keep open & running. In the article, “What is the Purpose of school” by Stephen Sawchuk, he believes that the pandemic could've led parents/guardians and students to see public school in a different light. More as a foundation that provides 'social services' and more to serve a wide range of children and families. Unfortunately, Sawchuk had been to be proven wrong after things started to go back to before. He included that, “schools could be standing on less solid civic footing than they were before.... measured by the most tangible factor available: enrollment.” (Sawchuk, pg.2) As the number of students going to school gradually declined since the re-opening of schools, so has the increase of change for receiving the same education (home-schooled). Despite this, public schools are instead not giving any sort of gratitude while they took action in providing online resources (programs, devices/hotspots) for students and their families so they to continue learning under the conditions. Moreover, they had also gone beyond that an Edweek Research Center survey, in Sawchuk’s article, compiled “[showing] how far-reaching some of these services are.” (Sawchuk, pg.2) Public schools to reach out with services such as meals, health, and laundry. Though public schools are not righteous when it comes to their educational system, they are beyond expectations from just being a school. Being able to lend their support and help to its children and families. They push to keep their students active and connected with their teachers and each other in challenging times. It is understood that even when they’re unjust through their system, is it comprehended of the lack of recognition because of it. Nonetheless, they do acknowledge the value/worth of its sources to continue function, its students and faculty/teacher.
References:
Ea, P. (2023). I sued the school system, Youtube.com.
Sawchuk, S. (September 14, 2021). What is the purpose of school, Edweek.org
https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/what-is-the-purpose-of-school/2021/09
