To the editor:

Public education has long been a cornerstone of American democracy, ensuring every child, regardless of background, has access to opportunity. Yet in recent years, relentless attacks – chronic underfunding, shifting resources to private entities and policies that undermine our schools – raise an important question: What is the endgame?

If the goal is to dismantle public education, what system is meant to replace it? Advocates claim the current system is failing, but where are the concrete, research-based plans to improve education for all students, not just those who can afford alternatives?

Acknowledging there is always room for improvement, devaluing teachers, slashing resources and diverting public funds to private ventures without accountability do not offer viable solutions. Such measures risk abandoning the fundamental principle that every child deserves quality education.

To those driving these changes – through policy, funding cuts, or privatization – I ask: What is your vision for the future? How will you ensure every child has a fair chance at success? If public schools are deemed broken, what do you plan to build in their place?

The public deserves clear answers. Parents, educators and communities need to know whether the aim is to fix our education system or to let it fail. Education is not a partisan issue; it is a fundamental right. If we are to reshape it, we must demand transparency, accountability and a plan that leaves no child behind.

Peggy Hassler

Oakville

Editor’s note: Peggy Hassler is the president of the Mehlville Board of Education. She has served on the board since 2017.