The State of Local Education

Public education’s vital role in American society.

By Dr. Michael Kryzanek | August 28, 2025

I served as a member of the school board for six years in my hometown. I served during a time when issues of budgets, union contracts and cost cutting measures filled my service. What did not fill my time in office was parental second guessing of administrative policies, controversial discussions related to gender, immigrants, drugs, and sexual behavior, and harsh disputes over academic programs. This was a time when public education was conducted in an atmosphere of trust and cooperation. Certainly, there were differences of views among board members primarily over how best to provide quality education with diminishing resources, but these differences were settled with goodwill and an acceptance of the fiscal realities.

Today, public education and serving in local government is a far cry from the days of goodwill and mutual trust. Those dedicated citizens who put their names forward to serve on school boards find themselves facing angry citizens who have convinced themselves that their taxes are misspent, while superintendents and principals are regularly questioned about how they handle student discipline and teachers are seen as underworked public employees who salaries are excessive. Open meetings where education is on the agenda often turn into shouting matches and charges of incompetence. More parents see the answers for their child’s education in high cost private or parochial schools, semi-public charter schools devoid of unions and the growing popularity of home schooling. There is a troubling consensus in far too many local communities that public education is in decline and that governmental leaders should stop wasting taxpayer money on an educational system that is broken and likely unfixable.