It is a bit of a double edged sword in many sectors.

Private companies bottom line is profit, so they are
willing to break rules and screw people if they can
turn a profit. Even if it is short term in many cases.
This does happen. But there are companies in business
for the longterm that have provided innovation the
government could not have possibly accomplished.
And have made peoples lives better, especially in
medicine. A huge % of new drugs to help all sorts of
illnesses are discovered and produced in the US. A bit
of government help is also involved.

The government provides very little incentive for workers
to actually do a good job though. The government does a
horrible job at many things requiring vigiliance of others
money and efficiency. There is no incentive for running a
tight ship in many cases. But in some cases, especially local
governments, police, fire, and other services are quite good
because it is done locally and with pride.

It is a complex problem that will always be debated.
How much of a role does government need to play in
providing various services to the people who the government
represents.

I would also argue on the whole the public school system
does work in middle class to affluent areas. But in many
urban and some rural areas, its very poor. And it is completely
understandable. What teacher in their right mind wants
to go into a war zone where parents put their kids on
the bus so they can be done with them. And some rural
areas might be dominated by people (usually older folks)
who are unwilling to help fund public schools so they
have to drag "teachers" off the streets because the pay
is just above a Whataburger.