The promise of “school choice” was that every child would have access to a high-quality public education. The reality is that city families get a slim chance of a good education: not a choice, but a gamble.

Nobody asked for this. What families want—what every child deserves, and what suburban children get— is a neighborhood school that nurtures them, challenges their thinking, affirms their identity, and encourages their creativity. We want schools that are resourced to meet each student’s needs —academically, emotionally, and socially—and that are good, stable workplaces for the educators and staff who dedicate their lives to our children.

We want schools close to home, where children can walk or ride the bus without a long commute, and where working parents can reasonably step in when emergencies arise. We want our kids learning alongside their neighbors, building strong relationships that extend beyond the classroom and strengthen the fabric of our communities.

But in Hartford, and in many communities like ours —Black, brown, and low-income—that experience has been stripped away in the name of “school choice,” a policy that too often creates winners and losers in a system that should serve everyone. These schools are no “supplement” — they are a direct disruption of the public education system to make room for private entities and profit-driven actors.

This isn’t happening in a vacuum. Our public institutions —especially our schools— have been chronically underfunded for decades. Disinvestment from Black and brown communities has made public education a battleground where basic needs compete with one another. While families fight for school buildings without mold, for heat in the winter and cooling in the summer, public dollars are being siphoned away to charter operators and private interests that are not accountable to our communities and that prioritize profits and test scores over student well-being.

We cannot allow public funds to support schools with selective admissions criteria or those that exclude children based on ability, behavior, or need. Our public schools must serve every child —regardless of language, disability, or life circumstance. That includes ensuring students with disabilities have access to high-quality, in-district support so that specialized placements are reserved for the few students with the most intensive needs, not used as a way to further segregate our kids.

A just public education system invests in the success of all children by offering culturally affirming, anti-racist, and imaginative learning experiences. Our students deserve schools that reflect and respect who they are —staffed by educators who are well-supported, experienced, and reflective of the communities they serve.

The proliferation of new charter schools and the expansion of “choice” programs do not expand opportunity, they destabilize it, particularly for students in historically marginalized communities.

By draining essential funds from our existing public schools, they exacerbate inequities and create further barriers rather than dismantling them. These policies often divide communities along racial and socioeconomic lines, further straining systems already burdened by years of inequitable funding.

Neighborhood public schools work great for children in West Hartford and Glastonbury. They can work just as well for Hartford children. Instead of pursuing divisive experiments, we must focus on what we know works: fully and equitably funding our public schools, repairing neglected facilities in under-resourced areas, supporting our dedicated educators, and fostering joyful, rigorous learning environments where all children, regardless of their race, class, or ability can truly thrive.

A quality public education from early childhood to higher education is not a product in the marketplace—it is a human right. It’s time we treated it that way.

Constanza Segovia is Organizing Director for Connecticut For All and a Hartford Public Schools parent.