Robert L. Mitten: Public education a necessity

I spent 35 years in school finance in Pennsylvania. The educational community is full of hucksters. Everyone has the simple answer to our problem – usually at a price. Here is the simple answer free: There are no simple answers.

Public education in a democratic society is complicated and hard, but it is necessary to keep our republic democratic and free. Training the next generation is our most important job. Not some of the next generation, not part of the next generation, not leaders of the same, but all. It is not cheap, and there are no shortcuts. We want the next generation to think for themselves.

There were no “good old days,” and there were no “bad old days.” There were days that we struggled and got through.

Do not shortchange our public schools. They are our only hope.

This story was originally published August 10, 2015 at 4:32 PM with the headline "Robert L. Mitten: Public education a necessity."