Private Instincts and Public Ideals

All parents and guardians want the absolute best for their children with a consistency and intensity that is instinctual. Schooling decisions loom large in parents’ stories, triggering not only excitement and hope but also tension and stress. Almost all self-help books for parents navigating school attendance and program enrollment decisions focus only on the child’s own flourishing, with little acknowledgment that there could ever be trade-offs where one family’s choices affect other families, particularly families with fewer options. Some parents, however, are more morally ambitious and public ideals like equal opportunity and the democratic benefits of diverse schools – benefits for others that often become mutual – profoundly shape their approach to choosing schools. In this exciting collection of essays, thirteen conscientious but all-too-human parents share their stories and reflections with attention to their own desired outcomes but also the flourishing of others. As you engage these parents’ stories, you might find your own values about education reflected back in ways that challenge and enrich your parenting journey.