Why the Right Hates Public Education.

• Position: Letters to the Editor - Letter to the Editor

While Barbara Miner lists five reasons the right wing wants to privatize education ("Why the Right Hates Public Education," January issue), I think there are at least two more reasons. One, universal education is a major engine of social mobility; weaken it, and you've strengthened class lines. Two, public schools have to at least appear to be politically neutral; private schools do not. I'm sure many conservative strategists visualize chains of conservative madrasas being funded at public expense.

Bob Fleischer

Groton, Massachusetts

Thanks to Barbara Miner for her excellent article. I think there are two other important, although usually unacknowledged, reasons: 1) Public schools are perceived as pushing "lefty" or secular ideas such as respect for the environment, respect for different cultures, and evolution; 2) since the (still...