Public schools, public goods, and public work. (November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Abowitz, Kathleen Knight; Stitzlein, Sarah M.
• Is Part Of: Phi Delta Kappan. Volume 100:Number 3(2018:Dec.)
• Page Start: 33
• Page End: 37
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Subjects: Education -- United States -- Periodicals; Greek letter societies -- Periodicals; Onderwijs; Éducation -- Périodiques; Associations désignées par des lettres grecques -- Périodiques; Éducation; Enseignement; Pédagogie; Politique éducative; Recherche en éducation; Réforme du système éducatif; Services aux élèves; Système éducatif; États-Unis; Étude comparée (Descripteur de forme); Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 371.0097305
• DOI: 10.1177/0031721718808262
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-7217

Abstract

When determining whether public schools constitute a public good, it's important to understand what we mean by a public good. An economic definition, common among school choice advocates, focuses on the individual benefits of getting a good education. Within such a definition, selecting a school may be compared to selecting a box of cereal at the supermarket. Kathleen Knight Abowitz and Sarah M. Stitzlein argue for a more civic-minded vision that focuses on how public schools both promote and benefit from a vision of shared liberties, shared governance, and a shared future. This vision requires looking beyond individual choices to highlight the many practices within schools that bear considerable social and political benefits .