Bill O'Reilly on the New York City Public School System

Summary

Bill O’Reilly on the New York City Public School System No Spin News and Analysis | Release Date: March 14, 2025

In this compelling episode of No Spin News and Analysis, host Bill O’Reilly delves deep into the challenges plaguing the New York City public school system. Drawing from his personal educational journey and comprehensive reports, O’Reilly presents a critical analysis of chronic absenteeism, lack of accountability, and the overall decline in educational standards within the city’s public schools.

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1. Personal Educational Background

Bill O’Reilly kicks off the discussion by sharing his own educational trajectory, highlighting the stark contrast between public and Catholic schooling systems.

• Early Education: Born in Manhattan and raised in Levittown, O’Reilly attended Bowling Green School (public) for kindergarten followed by St. Bridget's Catholic school in Westbury. He emphasizes the strength of lasting friendships formed in small Catholic school settings:

  • “I take the bus. Catholic school stayed with the same 60 kids, sixty for eight years. Can you imagine that? Lasting friendships.” [02:15]

• High School and Beyond: Opting for Chaminade High School over the local public high school, O’Reilly credits Catholic education for his academic and extracurricular successes:

  • “No cupcake over there, but I got a great education.” [04:20]
  • He further recounts his seamless transition to Marist College and advanced degrees from Boston University and Harvard, attributing his ease in higher education to the strong foundation provided by his high school education.

2. Critique of the NYC Public School System

Transitioning from his personal story, O’Reilly addresses the alarming state of New York City’s public schools, focusing primarily on truancy and absenteeism rates.

• Truancy Statistics: Citing a report from the Manhattan Institute, O’Reilly reveals that 35% of public school students in NYC are chronically absent, with higher rates in early education:

  • “Chronic absenteeism, which is missing 10% or more school days in an academic year, is about 35%. And it's worse in the little kid area.” [10:05]
  • He breaks down the statistics further:
    • Kindergarten: 41%
    • First Grade: 36%
    • Second Grade: 33%

• Impact on Education: O’Reilly argues that early absenteeism leads to long-term academic struggles:

  • “They're falling way behind. They're never going to catch up. Most of them.” [12:40]

3. Accountability and Parental Responsibility

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to the role of parents in their children's education and the apparent lack of accountability within the system.

• Parental Responsibility: O’Reilly strongly criticizes parents for failing to ensure their children attend school:

  • “It's the parents' fault. Now there is no mechanism in New York City, none at all, to force these kids to go to school.” [15:30]

• Lack of Enforcement: He laments the absence of truancy laws and enforcement mechanisms:

  • “There used to be truancy laws, things like that, suspensions. Not anymore. You don't want to go, you don't have to go. Nobody's going to do anything to you.” [17:45]

4. Public vs. Private Education

O’Reilly advocates for private education as a solution to the systemic failures of public schools, particularly emphasizing the benefits of Catholic schooling.

• Advantages of Catholic Schools: Highlighting his own children’s successes, he underscores the discipline and accountability inherent in Catholic education:

  • “The discipline that is in those schools is far beyond the public school system.” [22:10]
  • He cites examples of his children’s accomplishments in private schools and prestigious universities.

• Call to Action: Urging parents to consider private education, O’Reilly suggests:

  • “Scrape together the money and send a kid to private school. Do anything. I would.” [25:50]

5. Proposed Solutions and Recommendations

In concluding his analysis, O’Reilly proposes several measures to address the issues within the public school system.

• Child Neglect Laws: He advocates for the implementation of child neglect laws that would hold parents accountable for their children's education:

  • “If you don't send your kid to school, then you should get visited by social services and if you're a neglectful parent, you should be punished.” [28:30]

• Enhanced Accountability: Strengthening accountability mechanisms within schools to ensure consistent attendance and academic performance is essential to prevent the “doomed” future of current students:

  • “These kids are going to be doomed.” [30:15]

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Conclusion

Bill O’Reilly’s episode on the New York City public school system presents a scathing critique backed by alarming statistics and personal anecdotes. He calls for increased parental accountability, the reinstatement of truancy laws, and a shift towards private education as viable solutions to curb the ongoing decline in educational standards. For parents and stakeholders concerned about the future of NYC’s youth, this episode serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need for systemic reform.

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Notable Quotes:

• “Chronic absenteeism, which is missing 10% or more school days in an academic year, is about 35%.” [10:05]
• “It's the parents' fault.” [15:30]
• “The discipline that is in those schools is far beyond the public school system.” [22:10]
• “These kids are going to be doomed.” [30:15]

For more insights and detailed analysis, visit Bill O’Reilly’s official website.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

I'm a product of Catholic school education. So I was born in Manhattan and Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. My parents moved to Levittown when I was almost two years old. They got a GI mortgage, $8,000 house. I still have a deed and we had a very modest upbringing. I went to kindergarten at Bowling Green School, a public school, and then I went to St Bridget's which is in the heart of Westbury. I take the bus. Catholic school stayed with the same 60 kids, six zero for eight years. Can you imagine that? Lasting friendships. Then I went to Chaminade High School. No cupcake over there, but I got a great education. Then Marist College at Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and then four for my graduate degrees. I went to Boston U and Harvard. So I did not want to go to Catholic high school. I wanted to go to Tresper Clark, which was the public high school closest to me. And all my friends went there because their parents didn't want to pay the Catholic school tuition and I wanted to be with my friends. Okay, how many of you have heard that story before? And Chaminae was rough academically, very tough place, whereas Clark was not. You could skate it and a lot of my friends did. But when I got out of Chaminade, I had a very easy time in college because I knew it all. My freshman year at Marist, I had taken all those courses in high school. So I was playing football. I made the team as a freshman and doing a whole bunch of other stuff, but I wasn't taxed academically. Anyway, the reason I'm telling you all of this is because there's a report out about truancy in New York City public schools, and it's horrifying. So this is from the Manhattan Institute, a very, very good analyst. Organization and chronic absenteeism, which is missing 10% or more school days in an academic year, is about 35%. 35% of public school kids in New York City are chronically absent. And it's worse in the little kid area. 41%, kindergarten, 36% first grade, 33% second grade. Now why should we care if kids are missing school at that young age? They're falling way behind. They're never going to catch up. Most of them, all right, and their parents are responsible. Because your kindergarten, first and second grade, you don't know where your kid is. Why isn't your kid in school? What are you doing? It's the parents fault. Now there is no mechanism in New York City, none at all, to force these kids to go to school. None. There used to be truancy laws, things like that, suspensions. Not anymore. You don't want to go, you don't have to go. Nobody's going to do anything to you. Which is why I tell everybody, and I mean everybody, if you can send your kid to a private school and have to be Catholic, do so. Because the public schools are a mess. There is no discipline in most of them. And you have students who don't know anything and don't care to know anything, with derelict, abusive parents who are causing all kinds of mayhem. And your kid is subjected to that every day. You want that? Is that good for you? Scrape together the money and send a kid to private school. Do anything. I would. I sent my kids to Catholic school all the way through because there's a huge difference in accountability. So my son goes to Salve Regina Catholic school in Newport, Rhode Island. My daughter graduated Fordham and St. John's Law. It was all Catholic. And it's not that they're holy rollers, my kids, but the discipline that that is in those schools is far beyond the public school system. Even at the university level. When I went to Boston U and Harvard, I was self motivated so I did well. But you didn't have to do anything. I mean they boot you out of Harvard if you didn't maintain a grade level. Boston U was a little harder to get kicked out of, but they boot you. But when you're a little kid, I mean these parents, I, I, there should be child neglect laws on the book. If you don't send your kid to school, then you should get visited by social services and if you're a neglectful parent, you should be punished. That's my opinion on it. Because these kids are going to be doomed.