Perhaps somebody who knows history can help me here.
I’m wondering if there is an appropriate parallel to draw between the movement toward universal education and universal health care. It’s my understanding that in the early years of our country, all education was private. It was a luxury. Many people simply didn’t have access to education.
How did education go public? Who fought for it? Who fought against it? What arguments did each camp use? What position did faith communities take? I’d love to know which Bible texts were quoted.
I would not be surprised to find out that women were on the forefront of the push for public education. Substantive change often comes from the fringes of society, from the places where power is informal and based in moral authority rather than formal authority structures.
Then again, I could be all wrong. There’s a lot I don’t know about how change happens, politically speaking.
Becky, thanks, that was an interesting article, especially the relationship between religion and education. Being a product of private schools myself, that’s worth thinking about. But the article doesn’t mention the finances of it. I wonder how people felt about being taxed for education? Being state by state may make each story quite different. . .
A good question indeed! A quick google search found this interesting article http://www.servintfree.net/~aidmn-ejournal/publications/2001-11/PublicEducationInTheUnitedStates.html This article was a bit more biais free than some of the others posted.
That is a WONDERFUL question. I hope the answer reveals itself here magically by one of your smart readers!