As part of my master’s programs, I have a bunch of papers to write, some of which I will post here if I think readers might be interested. I must put them behind a paywall since the schools don’t want papers posted publicly in case someone plagiarizes them.
Here is the abstract for the paper below (behind the paywall):
Public education in the United States is deeply contentious, shaped by historical tensions over religious freedom and evolving societal values. Initially centered around religious institutions, education reformers like Horace Mann sought to create a unified public system in the 1830s, which later faced a shift toward secularism under figures like John Dewey. Today, only 29% of Americans express confidence in public schools, reflecting growing concerns that schools are becoming vehicles for ideological indoctrination, particularly around issues like LGBTQ+ inclusion. This divide has led to protests from various groups, including Christian conservatives and Muslim parents, advocating for parental rights in education.
As debates intensify over topics such as book banning and the appropriateness of sexual content in schools, many parents are opting out of the public education system altogether, contributing to a rise in homeschooling and charter schools. The current landscape suggests an impending separation of educational philosophies, with potential state-by-state disparities in educational practices, as the American education system faces what may be irreconcilable differences.