Public education is not a business

TO THOSE who say “public education is expensive,” I say they should consider the cost of ignorance. The per-student allocation from the state’s funding formula is presented as an egalitarian philosophy so that each student in small N.M. towns is funded on an equal basis with their metropolitan counterparts. However, this does not guarantee adequate bottomline funding matching the expense for student’s textbooks and technical support needs required by an advanced society.

This administration is blatantly against public education and would have schools run on a business model, ignoring the reality that educators are charged primarily with the societal obligation of creating a safe environment while raising other people’s children. In addition to acting as a refuge for students of failed charter schools, the public institution also must provide charter students free access to extracurricular activities — including sports . ... When ... charter schools fail due to poor and/or unethical business practices their students are enrolled in (traditional) public school(s). However, if (charters) can stay in business until the 120-day count, their students bring no monies with them to fund their education ... even if the student has special educational needs.

When funding is allocated using a business model, Santa Fe funds the prison system with a budgetary breakdown roughly equaling $42,250/year per inmate (NMDOC, 2016). Students are funded at $7,484/year for each student (NMPED, 2014). After five years of elementary school, most students can read/write and perform the simple math skills required for budgeting. In short, they have mastered the basics required to be an intelligent voter.

If we want a more sophisticated electorate, more education must be the preferred short path to that critical thinking goal rather than repeated incarceration. How does anyone measure the success of our penal system and support this disproportionate funding allocation?

It seems our legislative priority is to give up on education and funding an intelligent electorate in favor of funding for proven criminals and their unsuccessful lifestyle.

If you still believe public education is too expensive, perhaps you could have lunch and chat with an inmate. Listen carefully and you might hear particulars about the parallel society of prison life and why “rule of law” is only for suckers and the unfortunate. At any rate, you’re paying for the criminal’s time, meal and housing at a ratio exceeding the public schools’ yearly allotment per student by a nearly 6:1 ratio. Make of these standards what you will. JAMES ENGLISH BRUCE JR. Albuquerque