For Social Division Public schools are the incubators of democracy. They allow students from all backgrounds to learn together to be effective, participating citizens. As students share in the education process, they develop a sense of the common interest that is vital to the ongoing health of our democratic society. Charter schools, however, as operated in England and New Zealand, create social division.
Parents shop around for the best schools.
Inevitably, they identify more with their social class than with their neighbourhood community, or even, with democratic egalitarian ideals. Education researcher Murray Dobbin has just completed a study of charter schools In New Zealand, the US, UK and Alberta. Parents are often frustrated as popular charter schools chose students, not the other way around. Alberta's charters are mainly conservative, elitist. Britain's are status quo, traditional.