–Malala Yousafzai

Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane.

 – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Most Americans put a high value on education, including myself. We moved to our neighborhood specifically for the school district and neighborhood schools. Our medically fragile son Grayson, who was born with Leigh Syndrome, a progressive form of Mitochondrial Disease, is currently thriving in public school. Federal law guarantees Grayson a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment. Obviously, this looks different for each child, depending on his disability. Grayson is physically and medically able to attend school full time in a classroom dedicated to students with special needs.

Of course, Grayson’s education isn’t really free. Texas public schools are funded by taxes: taxes that everyone pays, one way or another. Whether or not someone has a child attending a public school, he is partially paying for that public school and the education of the children inside.

Why? Because education (at least K-12) is a basic right of all American children, according to our society’s value system. For the most part, we all willingly pay our fair share to ensure our (collective) children learn in the best environment, with the latest technology, and the most qualified teachers.

Healthcare is not a basic right, according to our society’s value system. There are a lot of people who consider it theft if a fraction of their hard earned money goes to pay for the equipment, supplies, therapies, nursing, and medications Grayson and other children like him need to live and live comfortably.

Not many would disagree that both the education and healthcare systems in our country are broken. Obviously, there are failing and under-funded schools, and more often than not, children in wealthier areas have advantages and receive a better education than children in poorer communities. And then there’s Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, who wants to privatize our education system with school vouchers, which will undoubetly hurt the poor and disabled children in this country. This is, without a doubt, injustice. But no one will completely deny education from poor children due to their families’ inability to pay. And yet, this is exactly what the GOP wants to do with healthcare.

On our family’s income, we can’t afford private school for our children. Fortunately, public school is an option for us. All three of my children will eventually enroll in public school, and our income won’t be a factor in how many years of schooling they receive, or what they learn in those schools.

Here’s the truth: on our family’s income, we can’t afford all the healthcare Grayson needs either. And this would be the truth even if my husband made twice the salary he does and I had a full-time job. We have health insurance (and yes, we are faced with yearly premium hikes just like so many other Americans), and we pay into the system. The cost of Grayson’s care that private insurance doesn’t cover exceeds our income. Affording his care without Medicaid is completely out of our reach.

Fortunately, Medicaid (through a Medicaid waiver program) is currently available to cover the costs that our private insurance doesn’t cover, costs that we could never afford.

The United States of America prioritizes the education of our children, and its citizens both pay and benefit from that priority. Why can’t we do the same to make our society healthier and graciously care for its members who are sick or disabled? Let’s start treating and legislating healthcare for what it is: a basic human right.