Much has been written and said recently about the woe that is public education in this country. If one listens to the complaints of folks on both sides of the political spectrum one might become convinced that our schools are evil, godless, torture chambers where children are taught to be gay . Unless you are a black student, of course, then you are taught to be white. It is a pretty depressing story. Luckily, it's pretty much fiction.

I work at a public school. I walk through the halls every day, talk to the people, try to teach my kids the best I can. I'm a born-again Christian and most of my kids know it. I teach American History, but I throw in some evolution here and there, and some creationism on occasion. I persuade my kids that Columbus was a brave guy who believed he was following God's will, but that he was also personally responsible for the enslavement and murder of thousands of Native Americans. It's a fun job.

The best part of my job is seeing children from a wide variety of backgrounds work and play together. We get them all in Urbana, and it is quite the educational experience. One day you look up and see that white girl from Yankee Ridge laughing and working with the black girls from the north end. The next day it might be the Asian boy who was living in South Korea a month ago practicing his English with the jock from the state streets area. It's good stuff.

Public school might not be the best place to get a textbook education. I have no doubt that the students at Uni, for example, pop out at graduation with better math and science skills than most of the kids at Urbana High. Heck, I'll gladly concede that a student who gets two years of Bill Sutton and a year of Chris Butler at Uni is going to get a better history education than the groups that go through Urbana. (note: I'll concede nothing to Judah.)

But there is always something missing from these private school kids who, for the most part, are sheltered from the reality of the world around them. Taught to hate Muslims at Christian schools, taught to consider science more important than social skills at Uni, students who seek their education out of the public school setting are missing a major part of their education: the ability to relate to others. If public schools are worth anything, they are worth the education that is given to students who must work together.

Years ago it would have been taboo for a black boy and a white girl to date in this country. These days my kids date whomever they choose and are befuddled when I tell them the racist stories of our past. Years ago a white kid in Urbana would have rolled up their windows and locked their door if they took a wrong turn into "the hood" with their parents. These days white girls and black girls are best friends and have sleep overs in "the hood."

Times have changed. Public education has helped to make this society more tolerant, less racist, and a better place for all of us. Before you judge the schools in this country I invite you to come by my classroom and see what we are doing to your kids. You might just leave me an apple!