Public Vs. Private School
Read more articles on Life's Nuances and Let Me Share With You.January 27, 2007
Posted by Karen Amato Schwartz
January 27, 2007
Posted by Karen Amato Schwartz
366 Views
Are there any significant findings on studies regarding public versus private school education? Does one, as a rule, generally surpass the other in specific areas? If so, what areas-academics, extracurricular activities, or for lack of a better term, well roundedness?
I’m having some consternation about this and finding no answers. The schools, of course, wish you to believe that theirs is the best, while the majority of students and parents feel quite satisfied with their school. But just how much credence should a kid’s opinion be given, or is it the only thing that matters? Right now, so many questions are floating around that I don’t even know where to begin with a decision I feel I need to make!
As a graduate of 12 years of private school (3 in an all-girls facility), I swear by my education. Classes and the student bodies were small, but there seemed to be plenty of outside activities to choose from, along with opportunities of socializing with boys from other schools. I feel that I missed out on nothing, and had none of the problems I’d heard about in other schools. Of course, I had nothing to compare my education with, but it seems that it was the best choice at that time.
Now everything is so much more difficult.
Where I live, most private schools are only K-6, and along with one high school, are all related with the Catholic diocese. It’s fine if you are Catholic, but we are not. There are a few private schools across town, but they’re pricy. I do think it would be worth it, though, if the education was stellar and offered opportunities not available at public schools. I am very much in favor of sending my daughter to an all-girls academy (uniforms and all), since I can relate to that, but she is horrified at the idea. Although I’m sure there are plenty who do, I don’t see attending a private scool as preppie, yuppie or snobby,
I see it as a smart choice if one has the means to do so, but right now, I’m in the minority. Perhaps it’s my idealism, but I’d like to believe that when parents are putting that much money into a middle or high school education, they are impressing into children the value and seriousness of learning. At our public school, no homework is given on weekends or holidays, and on any regular day, my seventh grader gets 45 minutes at most. (A neighbor boy appears at the bus stop every morning, and not once has he even had a backpack!) I see parents who think it’s OK that their offspring worship at the altar of the local mall, 99% of whom have never experienced cultural diversity. I see that already, my daughter is being distracted by the boys and it’s already considered geeky to be too smart. I despise all of this.
I’m been wondering if I’m doing my daughter a long-reaching injustice in allowing her to stay in the public school. It’s said that public school is more “real life” than secluded private establishments, but I ask myself, how real life is a world where most of those whom one sees are lily white suburbanites? There is no answer forthcoming on this, but I’m still not giving up on my campaign; the fact that I keep returning to this idea must mean something! We’ll keep you posted.
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