In 2025, reading, math, and science test scores are at a historic low nationwide. Yet our government, instead of investing in public schools, diverts public money into private education through “voucher programs.” No child deserves a low-quality education, but we continue to accept a wildly unequal education system that leaves millions behind. This issue matters now more than ever, as education is becoming less and less of a priority in our society. The president is trying everything in his power to dismantle the Department of Education, all while public schools are becoming more and more under-resourced by the year. The private schooling system, along with the government’s attempts to enable it, drives inequality in the education of American children.
While there is no single metric to define the quality of a school, public schools in wealthier neighborhoods are much nicer than those in poorer neighborhoods. This, of course, is because of money. According to the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, “nearly 43 percent of funding for public education stems from local taxes. As a result, funding can vary widely among school districts based on the wealth of families living in them.”
The presence of private schools only exacerbates this issue. Well-off families can send their children to local private schools if they do not like their options for public schools, a luxury not available to low-income families. This stands in the way of public schools improving because, by sending their kids to private schools, parents are taking away resources from their local public schools, such as time, participation, advocacy, and, in some cases, money.
In 15 states (and growing), the government offers students “school vouchers.” These are scholarships given to kids to attend private schools. You might ask: where does this money come from? Public school funding – meaning that private education is quite literally taking money away from public education.
It is important to note that while some private schools continue to offer financial aid or scholarships, this is not guaranteed. At the end of the day, private schools are businesses. Much like a restaurant, superstore, or lemonade stand, the goal of a private school is to fund itself and turn a profit. The average cost of a non-religious private high school in America is $27,000 a year. So imagine how much money is taken from public schools and given directly to private ones through vouchers each year.
Private education for K-12 would not be the thriving industry it is or even exist at all if it weren’t for racism. Private school enrollment in the South exploded during the 1950s due to the desegregation of public schools. Between 1950 and 1958, the number of students in private schools increased by more than 250,000, and by 1965, the number had reached one million. These private schools that opened for white children fleeing integration were called “segregation academies.” While private schools existed on a small scale before the 1950s, their survival and expansion are all thanks to racist reactions in the wake of civil rights laws.
This period of desegregation in the South also served as the origin of school voucher programs. The first instance occurred when Prince Edward County in Virginia closed their public schools completely and gave private school vouchers to white students.
So why does any of this matter today? Besides the fact that this is an incredibly racist origin, the history on which private education is built still echoes today. Recent data shows that white students make up 65 percent of all American private school K-12 students. However, white students make up only 44 percent of all American public school students K-12.
There are many possible factors contributing to this. One is that, although they would most likely not say this aloud, some white families (in the Deep South, especially) are not comfortable with their children going to school with kids of color due to prejudice.
Another reason a majority of private school students are white is that they require tuition. Non-white households (with the exception of Asian households) are statistically poorer than white households in the U.S. This is due to the extreme economic disadvantage families of color are placed at systematically due to many factors such as wage gaps, redlining, and generational wealth. The whiteness of private education is a cycle that will only continue to enable segregation among children.
There are, of course, many supporters of the private school system. As of fall 2021, there were 4.7 million K-12 students enrolled in private schools across the United States.
One popular argument in favor of private schools is religion. Faith-based private schools are very popular, making up approximately 84% of the nation’s K-12 private schools. While I do not think there is a place for religion in the classroom, there are other ways that children can access religious education in the public system. The Equal Access Act (EAA) allows students to conduct religious education within the public school system, so long as these organizations meet during non-instructional time. With these clubs and organizations, children have the opportunity to participate in activities that would achieve some parents’ “spiritual goals” while still receiving a public education.
Another, and to me, the strongest argument for private schools is that a fully public education system gives the government far too much control. Many argue that the federal and state governments already have too much sway over our public schools. As recently as January, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) filed a lawsuit against the South Carolina Department of Education regarding laws that vaguely dictate what historical events and books can lawfully be taught in public schools and even remove AP African American studies from S.C. public schools. Though the federal government is forbidden by law to control the curriculum, instruction, or staffing in public schools, President Donald Trump continuously attempts to use government funding to manipulate public education. In a January 2025 executive order, he listed his plan to take away federal support for K-12 schools that taught materials related to gender identity, critical race theory, or anything that falls under the umbrella of “discriminator equity ideology.”
Yes, the more public our education system is, the more the government can control classrooms, and that is terrifying. However, this furthers my point that private schools stand in the way of public schools improving. Instead of addressing the fact that our education system is faulty, many people turn to for-profit businesses for education, leaving public schools worse off.
South Carolina has its own act in place reminiscent of the voucher programs I mentioned earlier. It is called the Education Scholarship Trust Fund Program, and it awards scholarship money to S.C. students for private schooling based on their family’s income and prior attendance in public schools. The act has been expanded by a bill proposing an increase in funds and widening eligibility for the 2025-26 school year.
My contention with this is that the funds for these scholarships come straight from public dollars that could be directed towards improving S.C. public schools, but are instead going into the pockets of private school owners – in many cases, owners of religious private schools – blurring the line between church and state.
To those looking for a silver lining, this may seem like a great opportunity for the select few who receive scholarships to enter the private school system. However, there is still no guarantee these vouchers will get them to the school of their choice, as private schools have full autonomy to reject students.
My issue with private education is that it is not just an alternative, but an impairment to an already flawed system. Private education is representative of a choice that most American families do not have; a luxury that is systematically less available to marginalized groups. The prominence of private schools worsens inequality, helping to fuel a cycle of racial and economic divide.
The way to deal with a broken system is not to opt out but to fix it. This means holding our government accountable by advocating for funding, resisting corrupt legislation, and showing support for the teachers and staff who make our public schools run so that every child, regardless of zip code, race, or socioeconomic status, receives the quality education they deserve.
Education is not a privilege; it is a right. And as long as we ignore that, we fail not only our students, but our future.
