The Detrimental Monopoly of Public Schools

Most public school teachers can recite by rote the evils of corporate monopolies: If one corporation dominates an industry, the customer has no choice but to buy from the monopoly. The cost goes up, the quality of service goes down, etc. etc.

Ironically, few school teachers object to the monopoly of public schools. The public school system enjoys a monopoly that would be illegal in the private sector. Parents are forced to send their kids to community schools. Even if another public school is willing to accept the out of town student, parents need a release from the home district. The home districts are often unwilling to surrender the student because that would entail a loss of state funds. This is tantamount to a customer wanting to buy a Ford, but first needs permission from General Motors.

Free market monopolies are quite rare. Any monopoly will in theory, take advantage of a captive market where there is little incentive to control cost or provide customer satisfaction. Such monopolies don't actually exists for long in a free market, where aggressive competitors are always eager to chip away at market share.

The public school system, however, is a state enforced monopoly. As with any other monopoly, the cost goes up, quality of service goes down, and the customer is screwed. If parents live in a nice neighborhood with good schools, this isn't a problem, but it's dreadfully unfair to low income families living in under-performing school districts. Granted, parents can opt out of the public schools by sending their children to private schools, but such an option is available only for the well to do. Until the poor are offered school vouchers, free choice is not an alternative.

I once taught at a parochial school that served mainly minority students from low to middle income families. Many parents confided to me that they chose parochial school because their own neighborhood schools were a disaster. Some of these parents were new to America and could barely speak English, yet they were willing to work two jobs to raise money to pay for private education. They recognized that private school was the only hope for their children.

In Missouri a few years ago, parents sued the local school district demanding that the failing local district pick up tab for sending their kids to more successful schools outside the local district. Critics of the suit included the old guard establishment of politicians, teachers, unions and administrators who base their arguments upon what is good for the failing school; not what is good for individual students. One can only hope that with time, more and more parents will challenge the behemoth of the public school monopoly.

Advocates of the status quo will sound the same dull note: "We need more money for our failing schools!" It is a law of nature that schools always demand more money. But why throw good money after bad? The problem here is not a lack of funds. The problem is a lack of competition. True reform entails ending the monopoly of the public school system. True reform begins by subjecting public schools to the same disciplines as private enterprises. A school must be compelled to provide a superior service for a reasonable price. If not, it must be allowed to go out of business.

Let public schools compete for business. It should be the parents that choose what school is best for their children, not school administrators, teacher unions, or politicians. The law needs to be changed so that parents are allowed to send their kids to any public school that will accept them. Perhaps locals should have priority registration in favor of out of town families. I would certainly be upset if my local school didn't have room for my kids. Aside from that restriction, I say bust up the monopolies and let freedom reign!