Are private schools so much better than public schools because of the pernicious influence of teacher unions?
First of all it is not true that private schools are always better. There are many high performing, distinguished public schools. In addition some private schools are unionized. However the stereotype persists because there are many public schools with problems particularly in inner cities where many of the mass media outlets are located. In addition, there are many, many more public schools than private schools. Moreover, private schools can and do select the types of students that they will serve. Many of the students with specialized problems are simply refused admittance. Furthermore private schools require parental involvement, something that public schools cannot mandate. Finally, private schools can expel students who do not conform to their rules. All of these differences as well as the arcane school financing system contribute to create some public schools that are seriously troubled and need help. If this were to happen in the private system the school would simply close and
