It isn’t enough for affluent people to complain. The flaws of the public education system are too ingrained and complex. School finances are tied to property taxes, even though those monetary assessments are irrelevant to education. Federal and state lawmakers wield tremendous power that could be used to improve schools, such as conditional funding, curriculum components, adjusting academic standards, and changing standardized testing mandates.

I have no intention of perpetuating the cycle of the moneyed elite who enclose themselves and their children in a comfortable bubble of ignorance and ill-gotten success. I’ve seen firsthand the devastating effects of private schools that produce individuals who are indifferent to bigotry and inequality.

Where we live on the East Coast, my husband and I selected a private school that has morals and civic engagement components in the curriculum. Our school teaches why kindness is important and how to cultivate relationships and empathy. This approach is a complementary process between schools and families: educating the heart, the mind, and the body.

A well-educated society is pointless if we do not understand and care for each other in ways that matter.