Giles Bowkett of Ruby fame recently alleged that libertarian society is impossible because libertarianism assumes cultural conditions that can exist only with pervasive free education. And he's correct ... except in his understanding of libertarianism and education.
The libertarian position on education is simple. Greater quality and efficiency is best achieved by a wide diversity of choices. Parents should have the freedom to choose the best schools for their young children, and schools should be managed locally to promote greater accountability and involvement. Libertarianism does not mandate that parents pay all expenses for their child's education out-of-pocket, but it does require that parents have full control over the funds spent on their child's education.
Prior to the 1850's, there was no education system in the United States. Local towns and cities organized their own schools, which they funded through some combination of tuition and local taxes. There was no requirement that anyone attend school, so students spent far less time sitting in classrooms. Americans were nevertheless among the most educated thanks to a combination of apprenticeships, homeschooling, formal education, parents who understood the importance of raising productive members of society, and good old self-motivation. "Unschooled" did not imply "uneducated."
Giles Bowkett underestimates the curiosity and ambition of our children. Public schools of today resemble prisons and have many of the same problems. Compulsory public education traps children of low-income families in underachieving schools while forcing parents to pay for such schools through sales taxes.
Updated on January 12, 2009 10:50 PM to add citations.
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