Why Public Schools? Voices from the United States and Canada

What is the purpose of public education? What is the value of taxpayer supportedpublic schools? Who is invited to answer these questions? Except amongpolicymakers, few publicly answer or debate these questions. Instead, theneoliberal forces of competition and deregulation seem to be driving educationdecision-making. The formal education system is seen as a tool for personal andnational economic growth. Much of the education policy debate is centered onhow to attain academic success as measured by standardized high stakes tests andevaluations. But, how to educate children and youth is a second order question.The first question must be 'what is the purpose of schooling, and is it limited tothe presumed answer that it is to prepare workers so our nations can sustaineconomic superiority?' Students, parents, teachers, business people, artists, retirees, First Nations people,military veterans, and religious professionals are not typically invited to answer these questions - despite theirstake in educational outcomes. Twenty-four such people, including professional educational policy makers andscholars, offer their thoughts in these essays from the US and Canada. The intended audience for this volumeincludes all who are concerned with the future of public schools in both nations.