By Kathleen Nugent, DFER New Jersey State Director
In New Jersey these days, there is a fiery debate around public charter schools and their role in public education. While we have issues to address such as charter quality, accountability, and authorizing in the Garden State, there are other arguments arising that not only are concerning, they lead to discussions which are counterproductive to what New Jersey needs and students deserve.
At a recent charter forum hosted by NJ Spotlight, a representative from the New Jersey branch of Save Our Schools (SOS) stated that public education is a public good, therefore individual choice is not an option and bucks the overall intention of the idea (paraphrased). She compared public education to the quintessential public good – national security. So, a parent in an urban district like Newark, just as a parent in a suburban district like Millburn, should not get a choice about which school their child attends or whether they want a new public school, i.e. a charter, that might better address their child’s needs. They must place their child at the neighborhood school run by the local district and funded by taxpayer dollars of the local and state population.
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New Jersey ranks 47th overall (just a few spots from last place) for the worst achievement gap between those who are economically advantaged and those who are economically disadvantaged.
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Perhaps you’re reading this and don’t think the overall notion of “public education as a public good” is all that out of line. But I promise you, especially in New Jersey, it is absurd.
Some information for consideration:
• To start, the definition of a public good just doesn’t fit – The online Economic Glossary defines a public good as: “Goods that are difficult to keep nonpayers from consuming (excludability), and use of the goods by one person doesn’t prevent use by others (rival consumption). Examples include national defense, a clean environment, and any fourth of July fireworks display. Public goods are invariably provided by government because there’s no way a private business can profitably produce them. Private businesses can’t sell public goods in markets, because they can’t charge a price and keep nonpaying people away. Moreover, businesses shouldn’t charge a price, because there’s no opportunity cost for extra consumers. For efficiency, government needs to pay for public goods through taxes.”