Public vs. private education?

Wow, this is going to be a hotly contested subject...
My husband and I come from long lines of Catholics and we love it that way. (I hope that every one reading this comes from long lines of SOME Christ based religion and I hope they love it too) I attended Catholic school and my husband attended public schools, we both plan on placing our children in Catholic schools. I cannot say for sure that I received a better education because I went to a private school. I can, however, say that I thoroughly enjoyed my education, especially the religious aspect. I learned reading, writing, arrithmetic and religion among other things, and (I feel it is very important to point this out, I wasn't taught that my religion was superior to all others. I was taught about the origin of each religion and the differences).
I know that there are good kids and bad kids everywhere and that there are drugs and alcohol and racism and all kinds of other unfortunate goings on everywhere you turn, however, it is especially important to me that I keep that religious structure in my children's lives.

Reply

We chose private. It is expensive. My husband puts half of his monthly pay into the school. But, in our minds it was the only choice. Here are some of the big reasons.

1. The public schools here (Springfield, IL) are atrocious. It was one of the first things that was drummed into our heads upon moving here. DO NOT USE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. Over and over again, from parents, from teachers (!), from colleagues.

2. I have met the local population. I have seen what the Springfield public schools churn out. Enough said.

3. No child left behind. I don't think so.

4. An almost total focus on testing, testing, testing. Teaching to the test. We are knowledge and skill focussed, looking for a well rounded education for our son.

We selected the local Montessori school. It is the most expensive in town, but again, well worth every penny (and then some!).

1. We heard nothing but FABULOUS reports about this school from parents of all age groups. Friends, colleagues, random strangers, even the nursery attendant at our church. Everybody loves this school.

2. I personally like the Montessori philosophy and feel that it provides the best opportunity for our son to learn at his own pace, neither pushed too quickly and made to feel academically insecure, nor held back for the sake of other students.

3. The other private schools in town are religious. Every one of them. Most of the "big contenders" are catholic. We are not catholic. There is no local school that serves our particular religious affiliation, but even if there were, I prefer not to mix academic and religious study. We teach religion at home and at church.

4. This particular school offers year round education. This obviously means paying fees year round, but because we both work full time, it was a perfect fit. The summer programme puts a bit more focus on outside time and fieldtrips, but the classroom work remains an integral part of each day.

5. The final decision came when we toured the school (fully expecting to say "no way" because of the cost) and both immediately fell in love. We adore the staff, the teachers, the setting, the classrooms, and the whole experience that our son gets every day. We chose private and we LOVE it.

Reply

The first thing you should start doing is STOP thinking of this as a private vs. public argument. Start thinking of it as which school is best for my child? There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but these differences only matter in ways they affect your child.

Use your education background to evaluate your child's strength and weaknesses, figure out to the best of your ability what his learning style is, and then consider the friends your child will have at each location, the level of involvement from other parents, what if any services your child needs, what type of curriculum is offered, etc.

Then choose the school that best fits your child's needs.

I have taught at both public and private, attended both public and private and sent my children to both. They had different needs at different times in their lives.

Even things like level of parental involvement should influence your decision. If the school relies heavily on parent volunteers, most of your free time may be spent at the school or working with other parents from your child's class or school. If these are people you do not wish to spend a lot of time with then it can be a problem.

My personal opinion is that children need a great foundation. Find a school that focuses on phonics and math facts in the early grades. But find one that works with your child's personality. A very pencil-driven, rigid environment is not going to work well for a child that is emotional, or overly social, or fidgety. A child that thrives in structure, exact expectations, etc. is not going to thrive in a school that is child driven.

Spend time IN the classrooms.

I'm in the position where I need to choose a middle school for my daughter. Because she is gifted, I have several public options as well as private options. I'm subbing in the schools so I can evaluate each environment. I realize this is not possible for everyone, but choosing the right school can make a huge difference in your life.

Reply

We aren't doing either. We will homeschool because I want my kids to receive an education that is tailored exactly to their needs in an environment that is fully supportive of them as individuals. Personally I don't think you are ever gonna get half that with public or private schooling. I didn't even have to think about it all that much. It's just the sensible choice for us.

Reply

It seems that it's totally child dependent. My child, like myself, does very well in public school. I also like the egalitarian aspect of it. I can make just as much effort outside of the classroom at either school. And I can participate in the classroom if I like.

That being said, we're in a pretty good district. If I lived in a district with a bad reputation, I might think otherwise. If a school couldn't even deal with basic problems (violence, etc.) then I would do everything in my power to avoid that school and enroll in private if necessary.

I'm a believer in numbers (perhaps too much so) and there are usually all kinds of stats on schools. If you can look at those numbers, they should indicate where the average student is, and how your child might fit in academically. For the social aspect, I suppose you'd have to visit the school and spend time there.

Reply

I have been very pleased with our zoned public elementary school. Our zoned intermediate, middle, and high schools leave much to be desired. Our zoned high school has a permanent police presence due to violence and drug activity. Our zoned middle school is not much better. There was a "shanking" incident there last week.

I'll move my older daughter to private for 5th grade and my now 2nd grader will follow when the time comes. Our magnet schools, including a wonderful Montesori school for K-8, put the names of newcoming students in a lottery drawing. Even if our number was drawn, I'd be hesitant to send my children to any of them because they are in the most crime ridden areas of our town. We have approx. 65,000 citizens, yet we are in the top 15 nationwide as far as violent crime statistics.
I know private schools aren't perfect and have their own set of problems but I hope a parent spending a minimum of $10,000 a year for their child's education would keep a tighter rein on them.
You know there is a problem with the public school system when there are more private high schools than public, which is the case in my TN town.

Reply

We are seriously considering private schools for our 3-year old daughter. Our local public school is actually fine, but there is one catch. My daughter's birthday is August 24, and the cut-off for starting kindergarden is July 31. So she would have to wait until she's 6 to start kindergarden, unless a private school is willing to take her earlier. There are enough private schools around the area, I'm sure at least one will enroll her.

Some kids may benefit from waiting that extra year, but I don't see that in my daughter. She's bright--counting to 30 (with just a few mistakes), pre-reading, pre-writing, etc. She's been attending a daycare/preschool since she was 5 months old, so she's used to the school format and listening to teachers and all that. Basically, she is on track with kids a whole year older than she is. No way am I going to hold her back and bore her to tears because of 24 days, and the public schools here just don't make exceptions to the rule (I've already asked).

I'm sure this is another whole discussion, and I've heard all of the arguments about why kids have trouble being the youngest. But, as I skipped a grade (4th actually) and graduated at barely 17 years old, I've lived them. I do know what it's like. And I have seen the alternative among friends (and even I was bored enough even after skipping a grade). I'd rather she were shorter and challenged academically to succeed than a big, bored, bully among those who are not as quick as she is.

Reply

We will be sending our daughter to public schools.
Why ?

Private(Catholic Schools) are NOT held to the same standards. While both my sister and I are graduates of catholic middle schools we both feel we would have been more challenged in the public school system.

Many of the "teachers" in the private schools are not even licensed and accredited teachers. We are talking people that have NO formal schooling in the realm of teaching.

If you are a parent that is going to be involved in your childs schooling, lives etc Your child will do well no matter what school they go to.

But then again. I have seen some pretty dumb ass parents and kids in both public and private schools. Those ones have no chance no matter where they go for school or how much they pay for it.

Reply

I'm sending my daughter to the local public school.

I live in the rural suburbs not far from a major city. There are many universities around here and the local population, including the teachers, are very well educated. My daughter's elementary school is a safe school dedicated to helping students learn. Sure, they're pushed to measure up to state standards, but my daughter isn't having any difficulty with the current curriculum.

I researched homeschooling, but decided that my daughter would do better in public school surrounded by her friends than here at home. I expect my son will go

I cannot afford private school, either secular or parochial. We just don't have the money. I did look into the local Catholic school, but there's just no way we could make the tuition. We struggle as it is with the required tuition for religious education classes. We've been very fortunate that our parish is allowing our child to take religious education without paying for it.

(I wasn't raised Catholic and cannot see how they justify charging so much for learning about the faith... but that's another post)

Reply

Agree with Karen. There are several top schools here that are both private and public. We will go with whatever school fits our daughter the best, and will not deny her the opportunity if she does thrive in a private school environment.

Private does not necessarily mean better. I went to a very expensive high school that was the 3rd best private school in our state. It turns out that anyone who did not get accepted in the #1 or #2 schools ended up going to our school, giving the school a reputation of being the reject school. I've never seen a bigger bunch of losers at the 10 year reunion.

Reply

Right now my daughter attends a public state-funded preschool program. I chose this program because our only other option cost too much money. I would have simply homeschooled her through preschool if I wasn't satisfied with the public school though.
I cannot say where we'll be by the time she enters kindergarden (we're military) since she's still got one more year of pre-K ahead of her, but I plan to do my homework. Some things that are important to me: class size, teacher certification, length of recess, cost, and location. I am also looking for a school that uses phonics. Many don't, and I really believe that phonics in my private elementary school made me the reader and writer I am today.
Of course I want a school with small class sizes, teachers who are well qualified, and a cost that we can afford, but I am also looking for a school that pays attention to the physical needs of children. Kids have a tough time sitting for long periods and paying attention, specifically during grade school years. I want a school that has at least 30-45 minutes of recess and/or phys. ed per day. At a minimum.
I attended both a catholic school and a public school as a child, and I felt that I learned more at the religious school, even though I wasn't permitted to attend religion class. (I am not catholic and my mom paid for me to go there to avoid a dangerous school.) Although that does color my feelings on the subject a little, I am committed to making sure my kids both go to a school that I approve of, and that fits their needs, wherever that school happens to be.

Reply

I go back and forth on this. Luckily I have several years to actually decide.

On one hand, I don't like the idea of giving my kids a benefit that is denied to others solely on the basis of cost. I would prefer that they not get any free passes and instead work their buns off for their successes, because I think it's better for them, in addition to being more fair.

On the other hand, I live in an area where the public schools are not so hot and the elementary school that they would attend is three miles away. I hate that. I don't think there's any benefit to them killing time on a school bus while missing out on physical activity and creative play. I also don't want them to be unchallenged in school. Sure, I could shore up their education at home, but then what is the point of sending them to school in the first place? I don't feel the so-called "socialization" the public schools offer is all that great. For the most part the good kids sit quietly rather than interacting with each other, while the bad kids act out. The few minutes a day of real healthy interaction they will get there could be more than substituted through non-school activities.

Back to the first hand, I don't see how they can justify the tuition they charge at private or parochial schools. Is this more a way to weed out the "less desireables"? I could afford it, but to do so, I would have to remain chained to a career I might want to quit; and anyhow, I'd rather save the money for things that would produce more returns, such as grad school or international travel. Does a private / parochial education benefit children? I think if you choose the right school, it can make a difference of, say, half a school year's ranking (e.g., if your kid is in the second half of 6th grade, a Lutheran school may on average bump him into the 1st half of 7th grade). In the big scheme of things, this isn't that big of a deal. Meanwhile, instilling a respect for education into your kids will make a much bigger difference, and this benefit will exist no matter what school she attends.

Finally, homeschooling. Half of me would love to home school. I love teaching kids and I'm pretty good at it. I wouldn't have to worry about forcing myself and my kids to be "morning people," whether someone is going to offer to sell them drugs or kick their heads in on the school grounds, and which version of the latest liberal morality the teachers are going to try instilling in my kids. If my kid is ready to read the Little House books in the first grade, they won't have to wait patiently while the rest of the class progresses through Dick and Jane. But, I am a professional and I hunger for adult conversation, stimulation, and learning. Not only that, but I think it's good for my daughters to see a woman interacting and transacting in the larger world. So I am not sure that home schooling is the answer for me.

Lots to think about - I am interested in others' comments too.

Reply

while my mom was busily working 14 hr shifts, her kids where currently failing in public school. She didn't have anough time to see her first four kids started at the top of the class, and over the years moved to the bottom. Do you know how we "repaired" our learning skills? she put us in a private school. ( by the way, we have 7 now and only one goes to public school now, but she had to attend a private school to catch up) In our local private school, they drive each student to the fullest and challenge each one with their own personal tests. For exsample, spelling. they have each child write a bunch of words down, and the ones they don't spell correctly, will be their weeks spelling words. They also get more attion with classes of only 18 or less. If they get more students, they don't cram them in a class, they hire a new teacher. the kids take a test each year to see how well the progressed, and wheather they can stay in the school or fail a grade. kids that go to that school get tons of scholarships because some colledges know how hard thta school works to make each of those kids the "star student". They introduce everything such as mulipication and algrabrsa two to three years early. When i whant to a public school, I was barely passing each grade. So my mom talked to the priniple. but she said that "julia is n't failing ENOUGH to get help". think of those words. I wan't stupid enough for help how stupid was i supposed to get help?! when you see some one struggling, you should help them weather its a life or death situation, or as simple as helping them carry somthing. My sister was declred "gifted" by her public school in first grade, but they told my mom she wouln't be challenged to get better. fearing what hed happend to her four oldest, she immeadiatly transferd my sister to the private scholl and my sister has only had one b in her life. She always gets A's and she's in fourth grade now. I was in fourth grade when I failed and HAD to be transferd. See the differnce between us two? the only diffence is, my mom switched schools for my sister & it did her better good. So think of this story when you wonder the differnce about public and private schools.

Reply

i think they both suck!!!

Reply

JuliaKatElwell,

I am not trying to make fun of you, I thought your post and experience was very insightful, but I just had to point one thing out out...
"For exsample, spelling." -example is spelled wrong, hehe.

Reply

I believe its a decision based on where you live. We live in Illinois, suburb of Chicago, U-46 which is probably one of the worst school districts. However, I believe its the people that run our school, (Superintendents, Deans, etc) that make the school have a bad name. Lets face it people if there is no disipline in the school for these children that is the biggest problem.

My son does go to a private school but that is only because where the boundaries are. We live in a beautiful area, but the boundries are horrible, and I was not going to let him go to a school where there is no values, morals, etc. Plus the fact the principle of the grammer school that he would have gone to stated that the lanuage spoken in the school is spanish.. I said well thats it .. we are out of here.

This is AMERICA our lanuage is english and when they realize that it will be a better place for kids in the public schools.

I like the uniform, they need to wear, and they learn the values, respect, morals, and that is important. I am not saying that a private school is the best . I went to a public school but we didnt have the problems that they have now, and until someone decides to step up to the plate and take control of the school system we will never ever have good public schools in Illinois..

Reply

well hi...well i think that a child should go to public schools because privite you have to go to school all the time and the only time you get a big break is in the winter but see its to cold to go out side so whats the ponit of not to go to school. in public u get breaks all the time and the big one is in the summer...and then the child would have more fun because they can go to water parks and have more time to swim and hang out with their friends. plus privite you have to pay for it! you can be useing that money for alot of other things! and if they go to a christain privite school or somthing like that they mostly teach about the relion and not things that the need to no like math. and if you think that relion is impoetant.. dont get me wrough i think its iportant and all but they can just go to church and learn everything there and they can go to sunday school...theirs alot of kiids that do that.like mine girl. shes 13 and is in the 7th grade ansd goes to larkspur middle school (a public school.)and goes there monday through friday and then every friday goes to church from 7 to 10 (vineyard...is the name of it or iyc) but yea thats the way i think it should be....but thats just what i think. so now u have read this. now post a comment about what u think!

Reply