I thought I’d be writing today about heritage breeds, humane animal husbandry, and a wee bit of brining. I went to a press event last night on just those topics. It was well organized, informative, and delicious. And yet, my attention was split.
You see, I sat with people who know a lot about food and, in particular, a lot about the food world in San Francisco. They are plugged in and knowledgeable and interesting and reminded me that I don’t care about restaurant openings, which spaces are available, and who is thinking about going where. Believe me, I’ve tried to care. I just don’t. I do, however, care about urban gardens. We all had a lot to say on the subject. It made for lively dinner conversation; things were going well.
And then the subject morphed to kids. And schools.
Some of them also send their children to private schools. One does so because the public school their child was assigned to was “in the ghetto.” I’m not even kidding. That is a quote. Where, may I ask, dear internets, is the “ghetto” in San Francisco? There are schools that aren’t great, to be sure. And there are projects. But where is the “ghetto”? Don’t tell me. I think it might be my neighborhood.
The public school assignment system in SF is insane. One person last night recounted his inability to see his child through the process, and instead just opted for the private school that accepted his child. The lottery system as it currently exists is daunting, bizarre, inscrutable, and opaque. It needs to be fixed. However, after some discussion, he recounted how, like me, he knows many people who saw it through and ended up with the schools they wanted.
I’ve done it on several school sites, I did it in a now long-shelved radio interview for “Philosophy Talk,” and now I’ll do it here. I’ll come out as pro-public schools. Rabidly so, one might say. I am a product of public schools. I believe strongly in their importance as the foundation of democracy. That’s right: the god damn foundation of democracy. I was pushed over the edge, however, by a friend years ago who said: “if a school isn’t good enough for your kid, why is is good enough for anyone else’s kid?”
Touché. Words to live by. Someone at dinner last night, someone I like and respect very much, someone I’ve always looked up to, to be honest, said “well, San Francisco schools are a lost cause.” She said it as one would say the sun rises in the east. As undebatable fact. As fixed and determined as the place of dry-farmed heirloom tomatoes in the average foodie’s wet dream. Internets, this person fights the fight against all kinds of food problems, all kinds of sustainability issues, all kinds of labor issues. But her local schools? She was willing to write them off.
It made me want to cry.
When asked, I mentioned where my son goes to school. The table agreed, “that’s a great school!”
People, it’s a San Francisco public school. If they are a lost cause, how is one of them great? And it’s not one that’s great. It’s dozens. Dozens of them are amazing schools. But, it ends up, in some eyes they are a lost cause.
There are public schools in this country where I would not send my child, don’t get me wrong. Without a real depth of knowledge, I’m guessing those in Wasilla, Alaska might not be my cup of tea. And who knows what will happen as my son gets older? But I digress….
I’ve said it at dinner parties, I’ve said it on the radio, and I’ll say it here: If people were willing to put half the time, money, and energy into public schools that they do into private schools there would be no discussion of “lost causes” and “not good enough”. Public schools would be good enough for everyone. And then instead of elitist, classist, racist crap we’d have a real meritocracy and some shit would get done.
Yes, I realize this had very little to do with dinner. My apologies.
tabitha | 17-Oct-08 at 12:09 pm | Permalink
Thank you! I couldn’t agree with you more! I live in Chicago and we have some great public schools and some not so great but I think they all can be great with a little time and effort from the community. Plus there is something wonderful about the experience a public school can give a child vs. a private school.
Deborah | 17-Oct-08 at 3:43 pm | Permalink
Molly – it was great seeing you today and getting worked up over SF public schools. Excellent post.
Dani in NC | 18-Oct-08 at 12:23 pm | Permalink
Brava! I live in a part of NC where we don’t have all the issues of school lotteries and waiting lists for private schools. I’ve heard about it from friends in other parts of the country, though. Whatever happened to sending your kids to the public school in your district and working to make that the best school it can be?
Amy | 20-Oct-08 at 8:39 am | Permalink
Public schools in SF ARE NOT a lost cause. In fact, the schools in this city are doing quite well. We are the best urban school district in the state. Like you, I’m so tired of hearing people complain about schools. If someone thinks they’re so bad, then they ought to do something about it.
rpnorton | 21-Oct-08 at 8:06 am | Permalink
The single biggest thing people can do to support our schools is to get educated about school board candidates and VOTE. There are four seats up this year, and 13 candidates running to fill them. (OK, I’m one of them
. “Senior Dad” and public school parent Stan Goldberg has conducted hour-long interviews with each candidate and made them available on his web site -
http://srdad.com/SrDad/SFBoE/SFBoE.html -
For the time-challenged, links to most of the candidates’ web sites are here:
http://www.sfusualsuspects.com/BattlefortheBoard
(scroll down to “Board of Education”).
And please, consider voting for PARENTS who are already making a difference in the schools.
Molly Watson | 21-Oct-08 at 10:00 am | Permalink
Thanks for writing in, Rachel. The interviews should be very helpful for SF voters!
Reminder to California voters: study up ahead of time. I vote absentee both so I never “forget” to vote and so I can fill out the ballot in the peace and quiet of my own home. It took me almost 2 hours to vote this year! (Of course, I was researching each proposition and candidate as I filled out the stack of ballots!)
Chris | 21-Oct-08 at 11:40 am | Permalink
Thank you so much for this! I am currently touring elementary schools and have found I just can’t talk about this subject with many of my fellow white, middle class parents because so many of them have written off all but a few of the public schools here. They are all terrified of the process. I am nervous but EXCITED and committed to the idea of public schools. It’s nice to know there are others out there on the internets who feel the same way I do.
Robin Whiteside | 21-Oct-08 at 12:28 pm | Permalink
Yes indeed. I started out the process a couple years ago looking for the ritziest best private school I could for my kid. I ended up at a great San Francisco public school and we’re very happy. Getting from point a to point b was a byzantine journey. The short of it is, I am shocked at how great the public schools are in San Francisco. There are at least a dozen or a dozen and a half that are every bit as good as the top private schools, and frankly, because they are more diverse and public and free, the competition isn’t even close. Perhaps they need to revamp the admissions/lottery in the City, sure. It’s not easy. But I have to admit, nine months of round one, round two, waitpools, and tours and all that, we found a great school. Considering we’re talking six years of *free* education, before I have to do it again for middle school, it’s not a bad deal.
Caroline | 21-Oct-08 at 7:26 pm | Permalink
Fantastic commentary! (And great comments from readers too.) I blogged about your blog:
http://tinyurl.com/6jgt25
I’m dying to know if the person who inspired this post has had her eyes opened.