Public schools in America exist to foster equality and opportunity by providing the best education possible, no matter the race, sex, class, or abilities/disabilities of the student. Ultimately, public education provides the opportunity for children to rise above the circumstances of birth and aspire to futures that are possible only with education.
From a broader perspective, public schools provide the cultural cement that forms the foundations of our neighborhoods and communities. Public schools are economic engines supporting millions of families and providing steady incomes and good jobs that generally withstand economic downturns. The effects of public schools on the economy, on our communities and civic life, and on our identity as a nation, can not be underestimated.
