In recent remarks, Betsy DeVos, the current Secretary of Education, likened the choice of a school for one’s child to selecting a ridesharing service, such as Uber or Lyft. DeVos has long advocated for school choice, promoting the use of tax dollars intended for public schools to fund vouchers for private or religious education. Her financial contributions to these initiatives highlight her commitment.
During her address at a recent event hosted by the Brookings Institution, she stated, “How many of you arrived today using a ridesharing service? Did you opt for that because it was more convenient than waiting for a taxi? Just like the traditional taxi service resists ridesharing, the educational establishment feels threatened by the emergence of school choice. The status quo often resists changes that empower individuals. No one should be forced to choose between ridesharing and taxis, just as the government shouldn’t interfere in your educational choices.”
This comparison sparked immediate backlash on social media, with critics highlighting the privilege that underpins her perspective. More concerning, however, is DeVos’s underlying belief that schools should function like businesses. She fails to recognize that education is a public right in America, intended to serve both individuals and society as a whole.
Many in the education sector, including myself—having spent over ten years as a teacher before pursuing a doctorate in education policy—view DeVos’s perspective as part of a troubling trend to undermine public education. Her words suggest a disregard for the vital role public schools play in democracy and community cohesion.
Why This Analogy is Fundamentally Flawed
Here’s why equating the selection of a school to choosing a transportation service is fundamentally flawed:
- The stakes involved in selecting a school are far greater. A poor choice of taxi might result in an inconvenient ride. However, choosing an inadequate school can have long-lasting repercussions for a child’s education and future.
- There needs to be a concerted effort to ensure all public schools are of high quality, with accountability measures applied to all educational institutions accepting taxpayer funding—including private and religious schools, which DeVos has often exempted from such scrutiny.
- Moreover, teachers cannot be equated with rideshare drivers. DeVos has previously shown a lack of respect for educators. Her analogy implies that teachers are interchangeable, low-paid workers, whereas they are in fact highly skilled professionals with advanced qualifications.
Education should not be about profit or competition. As a public good, it must serve all children equally. In the corporate world, competition can lead to the failure of subpar businesses, which benefits consumers. However, if school vouchers divert students from public schools, those remaining in “failing” schools are often the most disadvantaged, lacking viable options for quality education.
As one senior fellow at the Brookings Institution pointed out, “In a market where public schools rely on local property taxes for funding, unregulated competition can leave the poorest families with limited choices.”
Furthermore, education is fundamentally about nurturing personal relationships and understanding the complexities of human development. Schools exist to serve communities and to foster the growth of productive, creative, and successful individuals. Teachers help students learn to think critically, understand the world, and develop empathy.
Evidence supporting DeVos’s school choice initiatives is lacking. In Michigan, where numerous voucher programs exist, a comprehensive study by Michigan State found that students in these programs performed no better or worse than their peers in public schools. Parents should resist these attempts to experiment with their children’s futures; children should not have to “shop” for a quality education. We know what works: well-funded schools with qualified teachers and a societal commitment to valuing public education as a cornerstone of democracy.
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Conclusion
In summary, the notion that schools should operate like businesses is not only misguided but also detrimental to the essential purpose of education. Education is a public good that must be preserved and improved for the benefit of all children, ensuring that every child has access to a quality education without the burdens of commercial competition.
Keyphrase: Education is not a business
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