Home School vs. Public school vs. Private school

[Freedom]

I attended public schools grades 1 through 8. I hated it, and the thought of the high school actually terrified me. I insisted I was NOT going there, and I attended a private all girls high school. My parents weren't thrilled with the cost, natch, but I was a good student and they listened to me. I knew which school I wanted to attend, and that was the only one I applied for. It was great for me.

I LOVED having a uniform and not worrying about what to wear each night (I would get my school clothes ready the night before.)

My brother really didn't give it much thought. My parents arranged for him to attend a private high school too. An all boys school. It didn't seem to make much difference for him one way or the other. He didn't have much preference, or interest in the matter, so my parents put in applications for him at several. That school didn't wear uniforms, just dark slacks, white shirt, tie. He did well in school all the way through, also. But he had no cares where he went to high school, and I have always wondered if maybe he should have stayed at the public school.

I have a local friend who home schools all her children. She works part time afternoons, 12:30 to 6 PM. She spends the morning with them, taking them places. She figures she spends half of what she would spend on a private school tuition, and they get to go to lots of places they might not otherwise. They go in to the local public schools twice per year for the national testing, and they are always the high scorers for their grades. The 2 oldest (she has 5 children) are now in Ivy League colleges.

[BC_MoM]

I've been to both public and private schools. I hate private schools. While they are relatively smaller than public schools, they tend to be EXTREMELY cliquey and I can't stand that. Everyone knows everything about everyone.

Which is why I switched to public school. And I love it.

[sparks19]

I've been to both public and private schools. I hate private schools. While they are relatively smaller than public schools, they tend to be EXTREMELY cliquey and I can't stand that. Everyone knows everything about everyone.

Which is why I switched to public school. And I love it.

Wow... that is actually how I felt about public school... very cliquey. but I guess it depends where you live too

[BC_MoM]

Yeah, I guess it does. My public school now is fairly large, so you recognize faces, but can't place names. I'm lovin' it! haha

[critter crazy]

My son goes to public school, and it is a great school. But I think he would be more suited in Private school. He needs more one on one attention, and I think a private school could offer that better. Not realy all that sure tho, as I havent realy looked into it, cause I know darn well we could never afford it.

[IRescue452]

In our town the private school goes up to 8th grade and then the students go to public with the rest of us or go to another district. The private school kids were incredibly far behind us in everything but math. It seems math is the only thing they could learn completely in a private school without any controversy. I would never send my own kids to private school.

Another thing, kids in private school are in more danger of messing up in the real world. They barely learn about drugs, much less how to avoid them. They believe myths about sex that could get them in bad situations. They just aren't prepared for the real world. Also, more kids in the private school in our town did drugs and drank than those in public school. Had they gone to public school, they'd have learned that we make fun of the kids who do drugs. Instead, they were sheltered and learned that those kinds of things are "rebellious and cool". Take something away from kids, and they'll want it more.

[sparks19]

In our town the private school goes up to 8th grade and then the students go to public with the rest of us or go to another district. The private school kids were incredibly far behind us in everything but math. It seems math is the only thing they could learn completely in a private school without any controversy. I would never send my own kids to private school.

Another thing, kids in private school are in more danger of messing up in the real world. They barely learn about drugs, much less how to avoid them. They believe myths about sex that could get them in bad situations. They just aren't prepared for the real world. Also, more kids in the private school in our town did drugs and drank than those in public school. Had they gone to public school, they'd have learned that we make fun of the kids who do drugs. Instead, they were sheltered and learned that those kinds of things are "rebellious and cool". Take something away from kids, and they'll want it more.

This really shows the differences where you live can make.... my brother was sent to private school BECAUSE he was starting to get in a bad crowd that drank and did drugs (going into grade 9 so that makes them what? 14?)

At his private school (although I suspect this probably shouldn't be taken as the norm as it is insanely expensive... luckily his mom can afford it) they are far more advanced than the public highschools he would have been in. I think it has helped him deal with the real world better than public school did or would have. Of course... starting out in a military school ALSO REALLY made a difference. He has a lot of freedom at his private school... but he also had to learn that with that freedom came responsibility and in turn responsibility for his actions. It is a Co Ed private school as well.

[ramanth]

Another thing, kids in private school are in more danger of messing up in the real world. They barely learn about drugs, much less how to avoid them. They believe myths about sex that could get them in bad situations. They just aren't prepared for the real world. Also, more kids in the private school in our town did drugs and drank than those in public school. Had they gone to public school, they'd have learned that we make fun of the kids who do drugs. Instead, they were sheltered and learned that those kinds of things are "rebellious and cool". Take something away from kids, and they'll want it more.

I see the truth of that first hand in my own husband. He attended a Lutheran school grades K-12. I wouldn't necessarily say it was a private school but the class sizes were small and the teachings obviously different then that of a public school.

He lived a very sheltered life and our marriage is suffering because of it. It's very frustrating.

On the other hand, his brother who attended the same school, acted out and fell into a bad crowd with drinking and drugs and lost his license to a DUI and has a very bitter and negative outlook of the world around him.

[Karen]

I forgot to mention that my parents moved to my hometown because the public schools there were better than in their own hometown. As a parent, you can choose what school district and what public schools your child will attend by "voting with your feet" - a.k.a. moving. And there are things to look for in researching a town's schools as well, like whether they encourage parental involvement, how long people have been teaching there, etc. It should always be a conscious decision on a parent's part. I went to public school K-12, Paul went to private all but two years around junior high.

[critter crazy]

I forgot to mention that my parents moved to my hometown because the public schools there were better than in their own hometown. As a parent, you can choose what school district and what public schools your child will attend by "voting with your feet" - a.k.a. moving. And there are things to look for in researching a town's schools as well, like whether they encourage parental involvement, how long people have been teaching there, etc. It should always be a conscious decision on a parent's part. I went to public school K-12, Paul went to private all but two years around junior high.

There are also plenty of Websites that Rate public schools, and are a great help, when thinking of moving to a new area. We used them, when we were going to move.

[cali]

Wow... that is actually how I felt about public school... very cliquey. but I guess it depends where you live too

same here lol every public school I went too was incredably cliquy, I had like NO friends it was so bad. the private school I went too however had no cliques at all, I mean there were groups, but everyone intermingled, I had 3 seperate groups of friends. I am a very shy person so the cliquyness o the public schools just made me more reclusive. but after 4 years in a private school where everyone was essentally friends or aquantences with everyone helped me come out of my shell..I started never saying a word, I finished grade 12 regularly being the person who's name was called for talking in class lol. so I am biased toward Private school myself. sure its pricy, but there ARE other ways, I sure as heck could not afford to go to one of the top private high schools around, I started the school on a scholarship, and coniunued on Burseries, the ONLY thing I paid for was Film class, and that was only $40.

[cali]

The private school kids were incredibly far behind us in everything but math. It seems math is the only thing they could learn completely in a private school without any controversy. I would never send my own kids to private school.

Another thing, kids in private school are in more danger of messing up in the real world. They barely learn about drugs, much less how to avoid them. They believe myths about sex that could get them in bad situations. They just aren't prepared for the real world. Also, more kids in the private school in our town did drugs and drank than those in public school. Had they gone to public school, they'd have learned that we make fun of the kids who do drugs. Instead, they were sheltered and learned that those kinds of things are "rebellious and cool". Take something away from kids, and they'll want it more.

wow is that different from here, the public school kids here are so incredably far behind the private school kids its insane, an A is a public school here is the equivilant of a C in a private school. we are so far ahead of the public school kids its almost pointless, as we would all go to collage together and atuff that we learned in 11th grade was being taught because the public school kids never learned any of it.

same deal with drugs, my best friend goes to one of the biggest drug addict schools in the city... its public. its always suprises me how many people assume that everyone in private schools are stuck up etc... out of all the poepl in my private school, I did not meet one single stuck up person. I met dozens on a 2 hour visit to my friends public school. people DO do drugs in a private school, I had a few aquantances who were druggies. smoking? we have a smoking shed out back, grades 10-12 are allowed to smoke around the shed. we are also NEVER taught myths about sex, more like we had to do our own research and create presentations about safe sex. no gong to a private school we were deluded about nothing, we were wimpley taught safe ways to go about it. example..students threw parties all the time, yes with drinking and no parnets. know what they also did? they required everyone with a car to hand their car keys to the host, if they were drunk they were to stay over at the hosts home, no exeptions. we also never has knife fights, school stabbing or shootings, or deaths from students driving home from parties while drunk. virtually every single public school in my city has had one or more of the above.

[columbine]

I went to public schools, and although I was an outcast from day one, I was never attacked with anything more dangerous than a wad of spit or a snowball. (Well, a fist ONCE, but the kid's parents brought her to my house to apologize later, and revelled so sadistically in her misery that I immediately understood why she was violent and couldn't really hold it against her.) However, this was in a really rural area. The only drugs we had regular access to (except for a couple rich kids) were beer bought from older siblings at insane markups and really lousy pot, so I wasn't too impressed with that option.

I've actually met one homeschooled guy who totally regrets not having been "toughened up" in the public schools. In homeschooling he encountered only enthusiasm for his strengths, patience with his weaknesses, and overall acceptance. When he hit the real world, he says he was just completely at loose ends for a couple years. But I also know parents of special-needs kids who homeschool because the bullying their kids got in the public schools was just more than the kids could realistically be expected to withstand without permanent damage.

The people I've met who studied in private schools have been all over the map. I think it totally depends on the school (and, of course, the student and the family). I think if you have the money and the time to research a good variety of schools, it's probably a good option.

Love, Columbine

[carole]

Only rich people can afford private education in my country,however there are a few scholarships available now, but far and few between.