Public schools are community havens; DeVos needs a lesson

Regarding charter schools, vouchers and the demise of public education: It is Betsy DeVos' desire to end public education and divert tax dollars to private and for- profit schools.

Let us think about the ramifications of this. Each school has a history and culture that is important to its students, parents and staff. To divert money from our schools is to end the very things that make a school a home away from home. Don't you think there is a little sixth-grade girl waiting and hoping to be a Sugarcane? Don't you think there is a young boy waiting for his chance to be a Manatee football player? Add to that all the other school traditions, and you would have the dismantling of a great institution, for a child's education takes place both inside and outside of the classroom.

To save money, charter schools in some states are floating the idea of hiring uncertified teachers and administrators. The New Jersey State Board of Education thankfully just rejected this proposal in its most recent meeting. The vast majority of school staff members work tirelessly to not only educate our kids in the classroom, but to provide life learning opportunities through a wide array of activities and traditions that make a school a true community haven. Let us not lose this idea when schools play a more important role than ever.

This story was originally published February 17, 2017 at 3:09 PM with the headline "Public schools are community havens; DeVos needs a lesson."