Betsy DeVos, the billionaire heiress and newly appointed education secretary, recently made a striking analogy comparing the choice of schools to choosing between ride-sharing options like Uber or Lyft. This statement, made during her address at the Brookings Institution, reflects her longstanding advocacy for school choice, a movement that diverts public funding from local schools to support private and religious education through vouchers.
DeVos stated, “How many of you got here today using an Uber, a Lyft, or another ridesharing service? A few of you, good. Did you choose that because it was more convenient than hoping a taxi would drive by?” She went on to liken the traditional education system to the taxi industry, suggesting that just as the taxi sector feels threatened by ridesharing, public education is resistant to the rise of school choice. Her perspective, however, has sparked significant backlash on social media, highlighting the privilege inherent in her comparison.
The Flaws in DeVos’s Analogy
The core issue with DeVos’s analogy is her belief that education should operate like a business. In reality, education is a fundamental right in our society, designed to serve the public good and foster individual and communal growth. As someone who spent over a decade as a teacher before pursuing a doctorate in education policy, I see her comparison as part of a troubling trend that undermines the value of public education.
One key distinction between choosing a school and selecting a service like a taxi is the stakes involved. A poor choice in transportation may lead to an inconvenient ride, but selecting the wrong school for a child can have long-term consequences that aren’t immediately apparent. It is crucial that we strive to ensure all public schools are of excellent quality, with proper accountability for all educational institutions, including those receiving taxpayer funds, which DeVos has previously opposed.
Undermining the Profession of Teaching
Moreover, equating teachers to drivers in a ride-sharing service undermines the professionalism and commitment educators exhibit. Unlike Uber drivers, teachers are skilled professionals with advanced training, dedicated to nurturing students’ development.
The notion that education should be driven by competition and profit is fundamentally flawed. In business, competition can weed out poor service providers, but in education, this model can leave the most disadvantaged children in low-performing schools. As noted by a moderator at the event, “In a market where public schools are at the mercy of local property taxes to maintain funding, unregulated competition can leave the poorest families with no choices at all.”
The True Purpose of Education
Education is about fostering human connections and serving the community, not merely generating profit. Schools aim to cultivate creative, thoughtful, and successful individuals, confronting the complex realities of children’s lives that cannot be reduced to test scores.
Furthermore, the effectiveness of school choice programs remains highly questionable. In Michigan, where multiple voucher systems exist, a comprehensive study from Michigan State University found no significant difference in outcomes between students in these programs and those in public schools.
Standing Firm for Quality Education
Parents must stand firm against efforts that treat education as a marketplace. Our children deserve more than to “shop” for their education; they deserve access to quality teachers and well-funded schools. Public education should be upheld as a cornerstone of democracy, not as a business venture. For those interested in exploring alternatives for family planning, check out this informative resource on home insemination kits.
Conclusion
In summary, Betsy DeVos’s perspective on education reflects a dangerous trend toward commodifying schools. This approach not only disrespects the professionalism of educators but also jeopardizes the future of our children. Quality education should be treated as a public right, with a focus on community and human development rather than profit.
Keyphrase: Education is not a business
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