Private schools vs public

[Randy]

Do you think private schools are superior to public ones? Why or why not?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of both?

 

[MamaFrankie]

Private schools are just breeding grounds for elitist, entitled out of touch snobs.

 

[passenger]

I've heard of this thing called Group Homeschooling; where three or four or five qualified parents and their kids have organized, rotating classes. Sounds good to me. Small groups, the kids receive more individualized attention and lessons and discipline when called for. Also, being in a group, I think the kids more readily take to and learn socialization as opposed to strictly private/personal homeschooling.
If I had school-age kids now I'd look for something like that rather than public school.

 

[PGen98]

Public schools are terrible, but the pure snobbery that comes with private schools is something I wouldn't want for my hypothetical kids, either. I suppose the best option is public school mixed with academic programs outside of the schooling system, learn as much as you can.

 

[Nebulous]

I'd say public schools because its a sample of the real world. You get all kinds of people from all walks of life there.

 

[MrDawn]

Public school is better. I went to a private school and it sucked.

 

[Dee]

Private schools are just breeding grounds for elitist, entitled out of touch snobs.

Basically this, but yeah private schools are very much elitist and not super diversified. I feel like they have pros and cons, but I wouldn't want my child going to a private school. Public schools really can vary depending on how much funding they receive, but I feel they provide at least a better diverse population. Really, the American school system in general just needs to be revamped.

 

[Nebulous]

Public school is better. I went to a private school and it sucked.

What sucked about it? Uniforms?

 

[EllieCat]

bump
I go to a private school. What really makes me go grrr is the grueling hours of I ready that you have to do.

I get bullied by the older kids who call me very racist things, I’m not even black.
The uniforms are uncomfortable. I’ve worn shorts in snow before.
I know no one in my area.
I feel like the education is a bit boring and they are very strict with things,
There is a lot of screaming and being punished by the teachers for doing the littlest things.
I only have an online life .
They cancelled ALL field trips so we are stuck in hell for six hours
People are weird here and are very physical with me.
Bro this list can go forever.

Never been to a public school. But sounds far nicer. Much richer as well.

 

[DrLeftover]

You are worried about kids being snobs.

How about worrying about whether they can read and write.

2022–2023 Long-Term Trend (LTT) Mathematics and Reading Assessments at Ages 9 and 13​

Compared to 2020:

• Reading and mathematics scores decline across five selected percentiles for both 9- and 13- year-olds compared to previous assessment years

MORE:

The Nation's Report Card

provides national results about students' performance; access to state and district results, data explorer, questions tool, item maps, and other NAEP resources

www.nationsreportcard.gov

 

[ExplorerEvan]

I think a lot of people have misconceptions about private school as elitist. Many private schools are religious in nature.

Usually private schools do have higher standards (with discipline, homework, etc), and I think setting a higher bar for families that want it can be a good choice. Some of the public schools in my city (which is a very large, urban American city) are very bad. Gangs, pregnancy, drugs, etc. So offering a choice for a cleaner and more rigorous education can be a good thing.

 

[MamaFrankie]

I cannot speak for the American education system as I am not American. But the British private school system is definitely elitist. And public schools even more so. Here 'public school' means a very posh educational establishment, where the likes of the Royals are educated.

 

[Crys]

Do you think private schools are superior to public ones? Why or why not?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of both?

I only went to public school so I can't say for certain how a private school would be. But I don't think either are superior over one another because both equally have their own problems, a main one being bullying and it doesn't seem like that will ever cease to exist. My experience of public school was being around different types of people which I can appreciate. Not that my mom could have ever afforded to send me and my brother to private school but I think I would have hated it.

 

[Mendalla]

Here in my area, I can think of at least three different types of private schools around here so it is difficult to address just "private schools".

We have religious private schools for families that want their kids educated in a faith-based environment. Obviously, the public system can't address this need so it is up to the religious communities to do so. These aren't what I would call elitist, just wanting alternatives to what is taught in the public system and how it is taught. They are generally quite accomodating to those within their target group (people who share their beliefs) regardless of class and income. And it is not just the stereotypical people trying to teach their kids creation as a science. We have Jewish and Islamic schools, as well as various flavours of Christian school.

Then we have alternative pedagogies. Montessori and Waldorf are the two that come to mind. Again, these are not really elitist, just an alternative approach to education and often are very accomodating of financial need and equity concerns.

And finally there's the kind that people tend to think of and that seem to be what most people in this thread are talking about. We have a prestige academic school with uniforms, academic curriculum, and, yes, high tuition. So the elitist institution catering to the upper and upper middle class.

I am not sure any really address the issues we saw in the public system when our son was a student (he's now almost 25 so long out of the system). For instance, I don't know that any of them handle the teaching of math any better. We ended up putting him in an extracurricular program for math to support both his ability (he is gifted in math) and his need for stimulation in that area. I suppose they might be stricter about homework and getting students to practice what they learn, but I don't know that for a fact.

In general, I am fine with private schools existing, provided they aren't a drain on resources for the public system. So no "school vouchers" or other public funding, especially for the religious ones. But our ability to make choices for our children's education is pretty limited in the system here so having at least a few options might be beneficial for some families.

 

[Juneberry]

I don't know much about private schools that the student's family pays for, but I do know non-public schools in general can be a good thing. For high school, I ended up going to schools for special needs students that had mental health requirements. My local public school paid for it, but technically, I guess those counted as private? I know it doesn't sound like it means much since I still didn't graduate due to physical health related absenteeism, but I'd have been kicked out a lot faster for absenteeism and stuff at my public school, since it was extremely overcrowded and one of my primary issues is severe anxiety with panic attacks. Also I had a heart condition back then, which exacerbated that...

So yeah. Depending on what counts as "private" school, I think alternative options to public school can definitely be a good thing, depending on your personal needs.

 

[ElegantAura]

I think private schools are better for many reasons, depending on where you are from. Anyways, I just went to a public school, not that there were any other options where I was back then, lol.

 

[passenger]

Maybe in a class by itself, or maybe considered private schooling; but I think that home-schooling can be a very good thing for some. Especially "group" private schooling; that is, a small group of qualified parents + their children schooled as a group.
The group idea would address the issue of children learning to mingle with other kids.....on a small scale.
I'm public-schooled all the way, but have run into several exceptional young adults who were home schooled and are just awesome people.

 

[Reddington]

Most private schools are run by religious people, which is a red flag. There should be a separation between religion and education, as they are not the same or similar at all.

Public schools will always be better. Much more freedom, yet there are still basic, smart rules. Whereas private schools try to control the kid 100% and dictate their every move.

 

[NeoMetallix]

Most private schools are run by religious people, which is a red flag. There should be a separation between religion and education, as they are not the same or similar at all.

Public schools will always be better. Much more freedom, yet there are still basic, smart rules. Whereas private schools try to control the kid 100% and dictate their every move.

Yes but a much more important thing is separation of state and education. There are private schools that are not religion based.

 

[DrLeftover]

Again the discussion has shifted away from the purpose of schooling to begin with.

I've been in the position of evaluating the job applications presented by people for various positions over the years.

I've never had somebody from a private school, religious or other, hand me a paper application that had been filled out by their mother. Which did happen with a local public high school graduate. .. .... .... ... he had GRADUATED the previous year!

Another time I sat in one office and watched a young man struggle to fill out an application, including misspelling the name of the state and the street he lived on. He said he was nervous, which is understandable. But, still.

During an interview for another position several years ago we questioned a young woman about a blank section on her application. She hadn't understood what "previous experience" meant. Not only had she gone to the local high school, she was GOING to the Community College.

If these were aberrations, we wouldn't be having this discussion.