Public School: Why experiment on your kids.

[Total Refected Power]

I know this is controversial, but I wouldn't trust my kids to the public school system.

Complete lack of discipline, incredible bureaucracy and lack of accountability.

 

[ltk007]

I'm in a public school and I'm doing fine. Its a real world out there, kids have to experience it sometime. Better they be slowly introduced into in public school the be suddenly introduced to the real world when they are out on their own. There are many public school do offer very poor education and that might be a justifiable reason to put your kids in private school. Otherwise I think public school is best. I might just be a little biased though

 

[Gatsby]

Its my opinion which public school you attend.

My public school was very good and I made the most out of it. I know a fewpeople at my college who attended private schools and they aren't doing so hot.

Public school IF you do your reserach and are in a good one are good but you gotta know that first.

ALso the kid;s willingness to learn is even more important than the school. If the kid is willing to learn that'll compensate for a lot of things even bad teachers which I had. Had to teach myself the entire class but I wanted to learn.

Gatsby

 

[Viper GTS]

Public school is not the "real world." Go get a full time job, pay rent, pay your bills, etc. That's the real world. I'm very much capable of handling the "real world," and I haven't been in a public school (not counting college) since I was 12 years old.

Viper GTS

 

[Total Refected Power]

Yup,

Went to private school all the way through high school. I am in the "real" world and doing just fine.

School should be a nurturing environment and let kids grow in a structure environment. Kids thrive when they know what is expected of them.

 

[Isla]

TRP

I hear you, but like everything else, there is always more than meets the eye.

Public Ed in my state pretty much sucks, but I have known some wonderful teachers. My own mother was one of them... she is just an amazing person, one of those people who truly loves kids and knows how to help them blossom. A lot of kids wouldn't get her brand of nurturing anywhere else, so public education is really a blessing.

I knew a bunch of kids who went to a very $$$$ private schoool (hey yakko, ever heard of Berkeley) who all got kicked out for drug use... and plenty of religious school kids who got pregnant, too.

I'm not saying the system doesn't suck... you are talking to a person who was double promoted from the 2nd to the 4th grade and then dropped out in her junior year. My kids are in the system as we speak, but maybe not forever. The key is for the parents to be involved.

I'm a homeroom mom, which means I am in touch with just about everything that goes on with my kids at school. When you get ready to have some pups of your own, I highly recommend that you or your wife be able to stay home, work from home, or work part time so that you can keep track of your kid's education.

In other words... be in charge of the experiment! Don't just leave it in someone else's hands.

 

[Feisters]

Can you say "teachers union"? There are a few good public school systems, but they're in high dollar neighborhoods. Other choices are private schools (high dollar again), Catholic schools, and home schooling. Best bang for the buck: Catholic schooling. They'll get a good education and discipline, and a little religion won't hurt them.

[EDIT] A few posts got in before mine, and I agree 100% with Isla: parents have to be totally involved with their kid's education. You can't leave it all up to the system. [/EDIT]

 

[Total Refected Power]

ISLA

My extreme fatigue caused me to paint this issue with a big brush. Of course there are quality teachers and systems across the country. My father was one for 28 years. And parents need to be involved like you are with your children.

Just feel that pumping more CASH into the system is not the answer. That has not changed much in 30 years. What has changed is cultural rot and lessening of parental involvement. That is largely what has infiltrated the system.

A return to discipline and accountability is what is needed.

Will be working on those pups soon if my wife has her way

 

[DanC]

Total,
I was ready to flame you, and now ready to hug you...

Most of our money goes to administration, the 'fat cats' those who control the minds of your children. I say "your" because as God is my witness - I will never bring a child into THIS world...

These people are socialists. Throw the bastards out! (oh crap! did I SAY that?)

 

[jmcoreymv]

It kinda of makes me mad that people trash the public school system sometimes. In our school we had a higher passrate on AP exams then all the private school around us.

 

[Isla]

TRP

Yeah, I know. I could be out there teaching right now (special ed) but, um...

No Way!!!!! I am not the saint my mom is and your dad probably is! I don't think I could handle all the BS.

I may do it yet.... but not until my kids are older. My responsibility is to them first.

BTW... Good luck to you and Mrs. TRP!

 

[Eli]

Our public school system is a joke. If you want a good read about it, from a former school teacher, get a book by Grace Llewellyn called "The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to quit school and get a real life and education" or something like that, Don't remember the title off hand. It's an excellent book, though.

 

[jhu]

i through a public school system. i came out fine, depending on who you ask.

 

[Yo Ma Ma]

Public school is an institution, not especially like "real life". If you* can thrive there, you* can probably do just fine in another institution.

*This being the generalized non-specific "you", not intended twd anyone personally.

 

[thraashman]

I think public schools are better. Public school teachers care more because they make more money (amazing what state funding can do for a paycheck) the only possible benefit to private schools is that your children are in school with other rich kids and no riff raff (I actually just said riff raff, someone please hurt me). I went to public school, and loved it. Although I do love those private school girls' uniforms, maybe private school would have been a good thing.

 

[Viper GTS]

thraashman...

If you think being paid more makes them care more, you're smoking some fat crack. If anything, the private school teachers care enough to work for less money to support what they feel is a better system. Sure, the public schools pay better. But it doesn't automatically mean the teachers put more effort or love into their job.

Viper GTS

 

[Imported]

I went to a private school for grades 1-4, which most likely jumpstarted my education. Now I'm in a public high school and can't see myself in a private one. Private schools make me feel as if I'm in a prison of some sorts. Public schools may not have the best equipment, etc., but the teachers really want to teach. They don't get paid a lot for teaching in public schools as opposed to a private school but they try really hard to provide a good education. Atleast, that's what I've been exposed to.

 

[Imported]

I've never heard of a private school teacher making less than a public school teacher. My friend's mother was a teacher at a private school and they always seemed to be well financed, etc.

 

[cfredc]

Ive been to a public and private school... 8 years of public in austin texas and 4 years of private high school in singapore.... what i see is that you practically get the same education, except private schools you get more opprotunity to experience things... in public schools, there might be not enough funds to go the museum or go on field trips, but in private schools, you get to.... i agree with gatsby on that it does depend on your public school you attend, and i agree with isla that parents need to be there when it comes to schooling... i really hate the parents that vote in the PTA meetings that the school should ban homework because they dont have the time to help their children do it.... sorry if im rambling my letters, its 2 in the morn for me

 

[Pastfinder]

So sending them to an isolated private school is the answer, to blind them from the truth. WTF is wrong with you! running away from a problem IS NOT a solution.

 

[abracadabra1]

haha i feel the opposite of total.

i would never send my kid to a private school.
but, i do understand that putting your kids in the hands of the public school system yields quite an adventure.

personally, i would stick my kids in one of the several highly accredited magnet schools of our nation

 

[Buddha Bart]

If I could make ever teacher, administrator, and supporter of public schools pay for the years of my life they stole...

bart

 

[Total Refected Power]

Private schools are not "isolated". Far from it. If anything you are exposed to many different people. Are they all "rich"? Far from it. Many parents struggle to send their children to an environment where the "lowest common denominator" is the not the cornerstone of the system.

Until the system is radically transformed, beware.

 

[Pennstate]

It seems like the some of our most fiercest debaters in the OT forum lacks common sense. IT TAKES MORE MONEY TO FIX THINGS, NOT LESS!!!! We are at a time where 50% of our primary and secondary education teachers will retire within 10-15 years. In addition to that, the college enrollment of education majors have decreased. Compund that with the fact that more and more Education graduates are not going into teaching. You tell me, we should decrease public school spending? You guys are proposing that we should effectively decrease teacher's salary by not giving them a raise?

Just because those of you who didn't try to learn anything when you' were in school, doesn't make our public schools bad. The issue is all money. And if you disagree, then you're smoking crack or snorting GOP hot air. The difference between a good public school and a bad one IS PER STUDENT SPENDING. Instead of watching Fox News, you guys should be reading books by Jonathan Kozol about his experience of visiting hundreds of rich and poor public schools in the country. Kozol's "Savage Inequalities" and "Amazing Grace" should be required reading as moral lessons (and I know you guys love morals). If you guys think teachers are well compensated, why do you think less and less college graduates choose to become teachers? Maybe you guys have been learning George's Fuzzy math. Teachers in the country are among the most under-paid professions. How much do you think it's a fair salary for spending 8 hours a day with 30 immature brats? There are many idealistic people who will choose the low-paying teaching job rather than pursuing more glamorous and financially-rewarding jobs. Just look at New York's recent program in attarcting professionals to teach. But NOT A SINGLE ONE WILL TELL YOU THEY ENJOY THE LOW PAY OR THINK IT"S FAIR PAY. (also, It would be interesting to see the political affiliation break down of those altruistic teachers. I bet most of them are liberal-minded). It seems like the GOP think capitalism does not work in the teaching field.

I know not every public school teacher are qualified, and there may be bad apples. But the SAME CAN BE SAID FOR PRIVATE OR RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS. To criticize public school teachers through generalization (as popularized by the conservatives) is the most despicable thing that I could imagine. Would you enjoy being in a job where you don't get respect? Is this the strategy for attracting more teachers to meet the upcoming critical shortage ?

Some of the best teachers teach in Public schools. Overall, they're all concentrated in the rich school districts. It all has to do with how public schools are funded --- primarily through property taxes. The rich district will always have more money to spend than less-valued districts. But of course, this will not change because most of us are too selfish to do so.

BTW Colin Powell is also a strong proponent of improving public schools through more funding. But the GOP party leaders likes to use him as a poster rather than taking his opinions seriously.

Do you guys have and solid scientific studies that shows students of Private and religious schools do better in college? NO!!!!!!!! Not a zilch!!!! SO STFU and starting reading some facts. Don't be like GW, who believes everything that Pat Robertson/Trent Lott feeds you.

 

[ratkil]

school schmool, where the kids go has little or no bearing on how they do or even how well they learn. As some others have mentioned in this thread it all starts and ends with the parents. There are bad teachers out there and there are good teachers out there, you kid is going to get some of each regardless of where they go. Raise them to be open minded, inquisitive, with good self esteem and love the hell out of them.

This is of course assuming the school in question is not a battle zone or something. :Q