How much are the teachers who taught Mark Zuckerberg mathematics worth? How many of his Harvard professors were educated at public schools and universities? How much is their contribution to his success worth?
How many of Facebook's employees drive to work on public roads, drink from public water systems, or flush their toilets into public sewers? What is that worth in an initial public offering on Wall Street?
What about the legal system that allows Facebook to negotiate enforceable contracts? How much is that worth?
Without basic literacy, none of Facebook's 845 million users could operate its interface or understand the advertisements that provide its revenue. Without mass literacy provided by public education, Facebook would have no product to sell. How much is that literacy worth?
How much is Facebook worth? Stock analysts suggest that its value is between $75-100 billion. It would have no value at all, though, in a world without public education, public infrastructure, or public order.
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