Not-so-free education

Like libraries and parks, public education has a special place in civic life as a democratizing institution that offers free and equal access to all. But in recent years, financially squeezed schools have become less democratic, or at least less free, by levying a variety of fees on everything from books to extracurricular uniforms.

Among the things that various California schools are asking parents to pay for:

Novels assigned for literature classes.

Vocabulary workbooks and even some textbooks.

Gym uniforms that students are required to wear for mandated physical education classes.

Student identification cards that are required by the schools.

Lab fees for science classes.

Art supplies for art classes.

The American Civil Liberties Union sued the state in September, contending that the expenses deny children the free public education they are guaranteed under the California Constitution.

The Constitution is clear on this matter. A public education is free. Whatever their means, families should not be pressured to pay for academic basics. One increasingly common tactic among schools is to let parents know about the required materials — providing a list, for example, of all the books that must be read over the summer for an Advanced Placement English class — without making it clear that the school would provide the books if parents chose not to. Or, if parents insist on school-provided materials, some schools delay delivery so that students are embarrassed and start out behind their classmates.

Textbooks and other materials that are required for class should be paid for by the school. If private contributions can cover the cost of providing these materials to all students, that’s acceptable as well.

Schools need more flexibility when it comes to extracurricular activities, such as sports teams, band or dance clubs. It goes too far to expect schools to provide running shoes for the cross-country team or pointe shoes for ballet. Ideally, everything school-related would be free, but the reality is that many schools would not be able to offer these activities without parental support. Many schools ask for donations for extracurricular activities, bringing in support from parents who can afford to pay but also accepting students who don’t have the money. It’s not a perfect situation, but the ACLU and the courts should realize that schools are trying to offer students as much as they can. The alternative would be to eliminate the extras, a solution that’s fair but would make no one happy.