I go to a public school, it's one of the top-rated ones in NJ. Generally, I think I've gotten an excellent education. Some of the worst teachers I've had actually come from private schools, where they can be sexist, uncertified, and get away with jack sh*t. One of the teachers who came from a "prestigious" boy's private school later had problems with tickling students, casual racism, and offering drugs and alcohol to students.

I live next to about six towns where, due to racism, kids often get sent to private school (Bloomfield, W. Orange, S. Orange, Clifton, Maplewood, Montclair), and the private schools they get sent to really aren't any better than my school, they're just more homogenous, honestly. The kids in my town who got sent to a boy's academy in a neighboring large city (not NYC) ended up with worse drug problems than they would've had if they had stayed here.

I go to a public school, it's one of the top-rated ones in NJ. Generally, I think I've gotten an excellent education. Some of the worst teachers I've had actually come from private schools, where they can be sexist, uncertified, and get away with jack sh*t. One of the teachers who came from a "prestigious" boy's private school later had problems with tickling students, casual racism, and offering drugs and alcohol to students.

I live next to about six towns where, due to racism, kids often get sent to private school (Bloomfield, W. Orange, S. Orange, Clifton, Maplewood, Montclair), and the private schools they get sent to really aren't any better than my school, they're just more homogenous, honestly. The kids in my town who got sent to a boy's academy in a neighboring large city (not NYC) ended up with worse drug problems than they would've had if they had stayed here.



You hit upon a crucial point-private schools are more homogenous. I don't know whether that is good or bad-but I lean more toward the bad side.

I did go to a private school for 1st & 2nd grade. At the time, I didn't realize that it was a private school-I just knew that I didn't go to the same school as my other friends in the neighborhood did. At the time, I didn't have anything to compare it to. Now, looking back, can I say if it was better or not? There were some things that I thought were better. Some things were probably about the same. I also had a chance to see different school districts in my day. I went to schools in 5 different states (all public). Some were better than others.  The only one that really stands out in my mind was the worse (in my opinion) and that was West Haven, Conn. In terms of the good ones, I would say that one would have a better music department, one had a better foriegn language dept, etc. etc. But, in terms of over-all education, I would rank them all about the same.




Cat

You hit upon a crucial point-private schools are more homogenous. I don't know whether that is good or bad-but I lean more toward the bad side.

I did go to a private school for 1st & 2nd grade. At the time, I didn't realize that it was a private school-I just knew that I didn't go to the same school as my other friends in the neighborhood did. At the time, I didn't have anything to compare it to. Now, looking back, can I say if it was better or not? There were some things that I thought were better. Some things were probably about the same. I also had a chance to see different school districts in my day. I went to schools in 5 different states (all public). Some were better than others.  The only one that really stands out in my mind was the worse (in my opinion) and that was West Haven, Conn. In terms of the good ones, I would say that one would have a better music department, one had a better foriegn language dept, etc. etc. But, in terms of over-all education, I would rank them all about the same.




Cat


Yeah...thanks for agreeing with my point that most private schools, in suburban areas anyway, are pretty homogenous. A good example: W. Orange, S. Orange, and Maplewood are all diverse suburbs that have fairly affluent black and Hispanic minorities and white majorities, but the public high schools are mostly black, with a white minority. The reason for this is that most of the Jewish people in these towns send their kids to Solomon Schechter, a VERY homogenous Jewish day school, or Newark Academy, another homogenous, largely Jewish and Asian, day school. The Irish-Italian Catholics send their boys to Seton Hall Prep (or Oratory Prep) and their girls to Mount St. Dominic, Kent Place, and Lacordaire, run by nuns. I applaud the white people who do keep their kids in the public schools up to high school for not being racist. Montclair, another town near me, has a WASP-y private academy, Montclair Kimberly, and Lacordaire, and so either the "yuppie/hipster" or black kids go to the public high school, and some kids from Bloomfield and Belleville, the towns I live next to, attend private high schools that are homogenously Italian-Irish in neighboring towns.

Then there are some other private schools that are largely black and attended by people from the homogenously black towns who want to keep their kids out of the horrific public schools there, like Immaculate Conception in Montclair and Marylawn of the Oranges in S. Orange. But this still supports my claim that most private schools are pretty homogenous.

I don't know how your school system compares to ours, but in Perth (the city I live in) more and more parents are sending their kids to public schools, and many middle, lower-middle class families send their kids to public schools (in the supposedly 'most egalitarian' city in the most egalatarian country in the western world which, I can tell you, is far from true)...this perception is based mainly on the annual scores for the year 12 leaving exams. Sure, private schools dominate the top 10, but I personally think most private education is a waste of money. I can say out of experience because I've gone to both. But my experience of a 'private school' is probably not the archetypical impression.

I went to a public primary (or elementary school) as most kids do, and I turned out alright, and then for the first half of my first year of high school I went to a private school. That private school, however, was actually much 'lower class' and performed more poorly in the state high school I was to go to. For one, it was a Baptist school (which does not place as strong an emphasis on academic excellence as say, an Anglican school - most private schools here have a religious affiliation, although religion doesn't really play a big role in most) in a pretty poor part of town. Most of the students were kids of manual workers, skilled workers, and less than half even sat the TEE (end of year 12 exams). To be honest, the quality of education at that school was pretty sub-standard. Half the teachers were young fill-ins with little experience (for a whole half-term, our phys-ed teacher filled in as our maths teacher, 'teaching' consisted out of doing problems out of a text-book), and half year left after the year was out. But, of course, that is not a typical example, but anyway...

After 6 months, I left to enroll in my local High School, which was one of the best in the state academically. I found the teachers much better (in general), the students more hard-working.etc. and I did reasonably well (if not spectacularly), passing all my exams and getting my preferred uni choice. The area, however, was much more affluent than that of my old school, so I guess that explains it. It is also very ethnically diverse (esp. migrants from Asia)...

But my point is, if you're a parent whose sole aim is to give your child the best all-round education, there might be merit in some private schools. But if you're concern is solely academic, than a good public school is a far better (and cheaper) option. Although, I must say, there are some schools which will make all but the most committed students just give up. But anyway...I know many private-schooled students who ended up unemployed slackers, and many public-schoolers who are studying law or medicine.etc. So I think private schooling doesn't make much difference at all.

Don't know about the US, but I too think private schools get it too good. They get given as much (if not more) than some public schools, even when they're raking $$$ from parents who don't know any better. Some of those schools look like university campuses; they have sports fields fit for the olympics, swimming pools, auditoriums...they'll probably have their own zoos...while many public schools lack proper desks and chairs (and air-conditioning). I also think that public schools are underpair, and the government is insidiously trying to give private schools a greater share of the market. So in conclusion, don't feel pressurised in going to/sending your kids to a private school out of fear or drugs, violence.etc.

Carlos' oldest daughter is a math whiz. She was in the public high school. The teacher explained something and she got it right away. The teacher explained it a second time-she followed just to make sure that she did get it-which she did. By the time the teacher had explained it the 4th time, she was bored and just looked out the window. Carlos got a call from the school and he and his ex had to go to discuss why their daughter was looking out the window. Carlos said to the principal, "She isn't distruping the class, is she?"  It was shortly after that when they decided to pull her out and home school her-and she started taking college courses, too. She got her PhD at the age of 24.


The point I am trying to make is that Carlos and his ex couldn't afford to send her to an excellerated private school. However, I know that homeschooling is not for everyone. In this case, she had two parents who are well educated. But, even if the parents are not educated, they need to be able to spend the time to learn the material with the kid.




Cat

Actually, private school teachers do not need to be certified at all in the vast majority of instances. I speak as a fully credentialed elementary school teacher. In addition, many private schools are not gaining the cream of the crop teachers b/c they also do not provide benefits along with low pay, which cause many of them to flock to public schools.

In addition, a public school will give your child the best all-around education b/c after academics, socialization across diverse experiences is most likely to occur.

The "alternative certification" requires them to take education courses, but not necessarily the same amount.  And, it's only those teachers who teach a specific subject who are able to obtain this licensing....gen ed teachers cannot.  I have actually looked into it as will be going back to school to finish my English degree in the fall, but to add the education courses at this point would add an additional 2 years on top of the 1-1/2 I already need.  You get to work as a "teacher" (almost like student-teaching because you are actually working with another teacher) for 1-2 years and you have to take education courses while you are working.  The "alternative licensing" is only good for a few years, though.....once you successfully complete the required education courses and have progressed "satisfactorily", you then earn your regular license. (at least in IL)


Alternative certification is specifically for those who do not have any educational background; so if you are coming in with only a math degree you would take a couple of courses to satisfy the credential. To be quite frank, it's an half-ass credential and in many states, many teachers are finding it hard to get hired with an alternative credential as opposed to a traditional one. In addition, those who are getting the alternative credentials are most likely to quit before five years.

My mom's best friend from high school (my mom grew up in S. Orange) moved to Livingston along with everybody from her high school, a totally Jewish suburb of Newark near me. Her friend sends her three kids to Solomon Schechter in W. Orange, a completely homogenous Jewish day school, instead of even the highly rated Livingston High, which is at least slightly diverse. IMO, that's the reason they turned out spoiled brats.

90% of the kids from my grade who transferred to private schools couldn't make it in my high school, which is a high-rated public school, and got sent to private school because the school is paid to give them good grades and will give them a leg-up they don't deserve in terms of college, with Catholic college connections from the Catholic boys' schools they get sent to. Almost all our top students remain in my high school.

My sister took her oldest out of public school (West Haven-that I mentioned in an earlier post about being the worst school I have ever been to). The funny thing was, she made the honors' list-at the public school she was no longer attending.  :o Try figuring that one out. However, her brother had a hard time in the private school-I think it was teachers not liking him because he wasn't his sister or something like that. My sister decided to send him to the public school where he is doing much better.



Cat

I don't really think that the public schools are ever going to get better... and I don't think more money would make much difference either.  I think the problem is that with most kids having both parents at work all day, school personnel (teachers, principals, counselors, etc) are having to take on the entire burden, plus some parental roles.  I realize that most parents do the best they can, but I think that without additional education going on at home, kids fall behind and it makes the school look bad.

It may just be a bad speculation, but it's possible that private school kids seem to get a better education because more of the kids whose parents can afford private school can also afford to have a parent at home.

Maybe it's a lack of school pride? I know many private schools engender a sense of school spirit, and school pride which really means something to the kids (despite what they say they think about it), whereas many public school students couldn't give a stuff about their school; the state it's in, its status. My school, I think, was different because there was a definite sense of pride. Ours was a school renowned for its Arts program (many students came from faraway just to come here) as well as being oustanding academically. So I'm proud to say I went to a public school instead of a private school.

I think one of the biggest differences is class size.  Many private schools limit their enrollment so there is usually a smaller student:teacher ratio.  One of my neighbors just switched their kids from private to public schools and were shocked at the class size.  Their girls went from classes with about 15-20 kids to classes with 25-30.  Teachers can give little (if any) one-on-one help to a child who is struggling with a particular subject if there are 25 other kids in the class.  Most of the teachers at my sons' school have at least 1 parent volunteer there every day to help with the day-to-day tasks (and some actually work with the kids one-on-one to help with subjects like math facts and reading...I have) so the teachers have more time to work with the kids and don't have to spend their day making copies, grading papers, putting together handouts, etc.


I have parent volunteers as well as most of my colleagues (it's not some new phenomenon limited to private schools). In addition, we do not spend our instructional time making copies, grading papers, and putting together handouts. Reading this, I sense some bitterness in you toward teachers. Your information seem extremely misinformative and generalized.

As for class size, yes I agree that it benefits children more. Many states have various class size limitations (California for limits size to 20 for K-3). So the size is not a fit for all. However, I wouldn't rave too much about private schools seeing that they all but ignore those with special needs and other issues, which gives them plenty of time to "create" certain scores. Don't say they don't. My first two years were in a private school and I've seen it with my own two eyes; if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, my ears would have shared the many stories of such.

I went to private school from kindergarten until I graduated from high school.  My sister is going to a public high school at the moment because there isn't a private school near us.


The public schools in Chicago are sheesh, which is precisely why I didn't go there.  The high school my sister goes to in the top H.S. in the state of Georgia, so she's getting a good education, but I hate the public school atmosphere.  I went to an all-girls school where we had to wear a uniform everyday and there wasn't constant competing for attention based on what you're wearing or trying to get a guy's attention.  Those are the same kinds of problems my sister is dealing with every day and it's annoying.

I went to private school from kindergarten until I graduated from high school.  My sister is going to a public high school at the moment because there isn't a private school near us.


The public schools in Chicago are sheesh, which is precisely why I didn't go there.  The high school my sister goes to in the top H.S. in the state of Georgia, so she's getting a good education, but I hate the public school atmosphere.  I went to an all-girls school where we had to wear a uniform everyday and there wasn't constant competing for attention based on what you're wearing or trying to get a guy's attention.  Those are the same kinds of problems my sister is dealing with every day and it's annoying.


Yeah, that's the way it is in most cities.

I'm pretty proud to say I go to public school, am getting a grade-A education for the most part, and don't get some leg-up on college admissions because I went to a private boy's school or co-ed day school. Most of the people in my town who send their kids to private boy's school just don't want public humiliation at their kids' drug problems, or want to "shape them up" because my school is too hard for them and they need more of a leg-up, I suppose.

I despise the Right for declaring war on public education!
>:(

I despise the Right for declaring war on public education!
>:(



You mean "No Child Left"?  ::)



Cat

Yeah, that's the way it is in most cities.

I'm pretty proud to say I go to public school, am getting a grade-A education for the most part, and don't get some leg-up on college admissions because I went to a private boy's school or co-ed day school. Most of the people in my town who send their kids to private boy's school just don't want public humiliation at their kids' drug problems, or want to "shape them up" because my school is too hard for them and they need more of a leg-up, I suppose.



Well, my high school wasn't for wayward girls; it was an all-girls Catholic high school, and there were several that I could have gone to, but this one was the easiest for me to get to via public transportation.

I do know parents who sent their kids to same-sex schools because they didn't want them getting involved in some of the issues that go along with a co-ed school. I think it's kind of dumb to do that for just that reason because let's face it; if a kid wants to learn about sex, drugs and rock n' roll, they're going to no matter where you send them to school.

You mean "No Child Left"?  ::)



Cat

The Big Lie is that the so-called teachers unions conspire to keep teachers' work light and educational standards low.  Thus by the Big Lie, the Bushies can say, "If you don't perform, we will dock your school's federal funds." The only effect this will really have is to further deprive the school of resources and deteriorate the quality of education for students. IMO, NCLB is another battle in the GOP's class warfare. They don't want smart students from poor backgrounds to threaten the entitled status of rich idiots like the Bush family.

The charter school movement is yet another thinly veiled class war maneuver to the same end. When a pupil withdraws from a public school, with that student goes the per-pupil-expenditure funds from the government.  Charter schools and homeschooling are completely hyped and oversold for the sole purpose of reducing the amount of public expenditures going to public education.

The motivation for the attack on public education comes both from the Grover Norquist-type greedheads and the Pat Robertson-type funnymentalist paranoids. The former has no sense of civic responsibility when it comes to money, only a sense of mine, mine, mine; the latter thinks the public schools are run by "secular humanists" who are only there to tell kids Jesus isn't real, to hand out rubbers to sixth graders, and to teach the students that America is an evil country.*  The true-blue red-state Republican today possesses both the traits of Grover Norquist and Pat Robertson!

*And, oh, if only this were the case! I would be much enthused. However, your local public school teacher is not likely to be a "secular humanist," but a Presbyterian
goody-goody in an ill-fitting suit!
;)

Well, my high school wasn't for wayward girls; it was an all-girls Catholic high school, and there were several that I could have gone to, but this one was the easiest for me to get to via public transportation.

I do know parents who sent their kids to same-sex schools because they didn't want them getting involved in some of the issues that go along with a co-ed school. I think it's kind of dumb to do that for just that reason because let's face it; if a kid wants to learn about sex, drugs and rock n' roll, they're going to no matter where you send them to school.


I wasn't implying that it was...I think that some boy's schools are alot like that, though, they're full of semi-delinquent guys, in my area mostly Irish-American, who get sent there to avoid drugs and alcohol but end up getting more into them.

Actually, private school teachers do not need to be certified at all in the vast majority of instances. I speak as a fully credentialed elementary school teacher. In addition, many private schools are not gaining the cream of the crop teachers b/c they also do not provide benefits along with low pay, which cause many of them to flock to public schools.

In addition, a public school will give your child the best all-around education b/c after academics, socialization across diverse experiences is most likely to occur.


Don't most government school teachers hate private school teachers?  Isn't this why teacher unions hate school vouchers so much?

Bitterness?  I am going to school to become a teacher....and my kids have had wonderful teachers.  If anything, I feel bitterness towards the parents who expect too much of the teachers.  My kids don't go to private schools, they go to public, and that's where I see the parent involvement.  I have friends who send their kids to private schools and they are shocked that there is so much parent involvement at our public school....at their schools, there is maybe 1 parent volunteer per class and that's only once or twice a week....as I said, most of the classes at my sons' school have at least 1 parent there every day of the week.  I also wasn't implying that teachers spend instructional time making copies, etc., I was saying that they can use their "down time" (such as when the kids are in art or pe) to do other things and they can go home at a decent time instead of having to stay after school to make copies, etc. and don't always have a stack of papers to take home with them.  Here in IL, I don't think there is a "limit" on class size...if there is either our schools are in violation of it or it's around 30.  My oldest son currently has 28 kids in his class and my middle has 26.....the smallest class they've ever been in was my middle son's kindergarten which had 24.  Sorry, I'm just of the opinion that those numbers are way too high, especially for the younger kids.  I'm also not "raving" about private schools.  I could easily send my kids to one, but I don't.  Mostly because they are receiving a quality education at their school, but also because I don't want them growing up thinking they are better than anyone else (which many of the kids who go to private schools around here do).  Granted, our school system is pretty good and offers opportunities that many of the smaller private schools (and even some public districts) don't.....the public schools I went to, however, were not that good and I feel cheated that I didn't have the opportunities that others did as far as class choice, etc.


The "down time" is called prep, which is given to us to do exactly that - prepare for lessons.

The tone sounded as if you issues with teachers, which is the unfortunate con of not having auditory tracks with our posts.  ;)

Don't most government school teachers hate private school teachers?  Isn't this why teacher unions hate school vouchers so much?


No, public school teachers don't hate private school teachers. Actually, vouchers aren't as great as they sound. First, a private school doesn't have to accept you or keep you, regardless of voucher. Second, a voucher does not completely pay for tuition. Third, the government needs to stop focusing on b.s. schemes and fix the system.

Are there many same-sex schools in the US or Canada? I don't think I've really seen any in movies.etc. They are quite common here (some are even public), and I think it goes back to the English boarding school tradition (most private schools here also board).

Are there many same-sex schools in the US or Canada? I don't think I've really seen any in movies.etc. They are quite common here (some are even public), and I think it goes back to the English boarding school tradition (most private schools here also board).



All the same-sex schools in Chicago were Catholic schools and tied to the diocese.

if a kid wants to learn about sex, drugs and rock n' roll, they're going to no matter where you send them to school.


And then some kids can't learn about it no matter how hard they try and no matter which school they went to.  :D

Sorry- that was a personal aside.  :P

All the same-sex schools in Chicago were Catholic schools and tied to the diocese.


Same-sex schools are very common in heavily Catholic, particularly urban areas, like the NE, Chicago, Detroit, California, etc. Anywhere with enough Catholics to go. Also, Orthodox Jews tend to go to same sex schools, and there are probably some all-boys secular schools out there.

And then some kids can't learn about it no matter how hard they try and no matter which school they went to.  :D

Sorry- that was a personal aside.  :P


There's actually some truth to the 'Catholic school girl' stereotype, though it's hardly confined to Catholic schools alone. But anyway, I won't go into THAT.

There's actually some truth to the 'Catholic school girl' stereotype, though it's hardly confined to Catholic schools alone. But anyway, I won't go into THAT.


I think this applies to alot of "Catholic school girls" from strict Catholic schools who transfer. My friend went to a Ukrainian Catholic school run by nuns until the 9th grade and then moved to my town and went to public school, and promptly became a troubled drug addict. She claims that most people who transferred out ended up like this. But she went to a VERY strict, traditional Catholic school.

That stupid "Catholic school girl" stereotype is a load of horse sh*t.  There is no such thing.  If you went to my high school, even for a day, you'd be surprised at how insane that stereotype really is.

It's archaic and doesn't fit in modern times. 

That stupid "Catholic school girl" stereotype is a load of horse sh*t.  There is no such thing.  If you went to my high school, even for a day, you'd be surprised at how insane that stereotype really is.

It's archaic and doesn't fit in modern times. 


Yeah, it's a fetish stereotype. But I still think alot of girls and boys who transfer out of particularly archaic, backwards ones (there aren't that many of them left) end up rebelling, from knowing some people who've transferred out of those schools.

Of course, SOME truth hardly means the stereotype is actually valid. Just saying, I can sort of see where it comes from.

My sister is 14 atm (in year 10, she was born in 1991) and goes to one of the most prestigious schools (we're not really rich or anything, lol) in our city. Let me tell you, they are pretty wild for teenagers (lol), and it's often (falsely or not) being in a same sex school 'deprives' you. But they have alot of 'guy friends' from other schools.etc so I don't think that's really the case. But in comparison to my school...you'd think my classmates were the Catholic nuns. In our school the geeks actually outnumbered the non-geeks, because there's this whole 'school spirit', 'academic' thing going on...probably why you rarely saw nerds getting picked on, lol. Indeed, I only saw one fight in 5 years of high school (well one 'proper' fight), whereas I know fights, drug-use.etc are as common in many private schools than public schools (both are equally strict about such issues).

There's actually some truth to the 'Catholic school girl' stereotype, though it's hardly confined to Catholic schools alone. But anyway, I won't go into THAT.


That's rubbish.

My kids have all been educated at a Catholic co-ed primary school (still got one there) and from there they go to single sex high schools.  Keeps them focused on their school work and not on the opposite sex.

Of course, SOME truth hardly means the stereotype is actually valid. Just saying, I can sort of see where it comes from.

My sister is 14 atm (in year 10, she was born in 1991) and goes to one of the most prestigious schools (we're not really rich or anything, lol) in our city. Let me tell you, they are pretty wild for teenagers (lol), and it's often (falsely or not) being in a same sex school 'deprives' you. But they have alot of 'guy friends' from other schools.etc so I don't think that's really the case. But in comparison to my school...you'd think my classmates were the Catholic nuns. In our school the geeks actually outnumbered the non-geeks, because there's this whole 'school spirit', 'academic' thing going on...probably why you rarely saw nerds getting picked on, lol. Indeed, I only saw one fight in 5 years of high school (well one 'proper' fight), whereas I know fights, drug-use.etc are as common in many private schools than public schools (both are equally strict about such issues).


I agree with this. My friend goes to a prestigious private school in Manhattan, and there are kids doing lines of coke off the bathroom sinks, and she got into fights there. The most we have here is drinking and some pot, it's pretty comparatively bucolic. Most of the kids there strike me as having indifferent yuppie parents and too much money in their hands.

I agree with this. My friend goes to a prestigious private school in Manhattan, and there are kids doing lines of coke off the bathroom sinks, and she got into fights there. The most we have here is drinking and some pot, it's pretty comparatively bucolic. Most of the kids there strike me as having indifferent yuppie parents and too much money in their hands.


Is it anything like, 'Cruel Intentions?'  ;D

A lot of private schools can be a lot worse than a public school, I think, because of the potential money at the students' disposal. Private school kids are often rich, which means the drugs are better and more available. Take a private Catholic high school in Sarasota, Cardinal Mooney High, as an example. Those kids were renowned in every other high school in the city to be the biggest bunch of druggies of the lot. And I'm talking the big ones like Cocaine, Ecstasy etc... Let's just say, I'm not sure how well they scored in math at that school, but I know they knew their fractions (not to mention their metric system).

A lot of private schools can be a lot worse than a public school, I think, because of the potential money at the students' disposal. Private school kids are often rich, which means the drugs are better and more available. Take a private Catholic high school in Sarasota, Cardinal Mooney High, as an example. Those kids were renowned in every other high school in the city to be the biggest bunch of druggies of the lot. And I'm talking the big ones like Cocaine, Ecstasy etc... Let's just say, I'm not sure how well they scored in math at that school, but I know they knew their fractions (not to mention their metric system).


You're totally right about this. A bunch of kids from my high school got sent away after 8th grade to this school called St. Peter's Prep and another one called Regis in Manhattan, both of which are full of money in one way or another. They got sent away from getting bad grades due to smoking way too much pot. But once they got sent there they got into the "big" drugs as you put it, like cocaine, ecstasy, acid, even heroin...85-90% of people at my school who do drugs at all never do any of those.

You're totally right about this. A bunch of kids from my high school got sent away after 8th grade to this school called St. Peter's Prep and another one called Regis in Manhattan, both of which are full of money in one way or another. They got sent away from getting bad grades due to smoking way too much pot. But once they got sent there they got into the "big" drugs as you put it, like cocaine, ecstasy, acid, even heroin...85-90% of people at my school who do drugs at all never do any of those.


Yea I agree, I went to both public and private. I know exactly how they are. All the private school brag about their kids being so great, but really they aren't.

Yea I agree, I went to both public and private. I know exactly how they are. All the private school brag about their kids being so great, but really they aren't.


The reality of why most kids in my town sent their kids to private school isn't because the "kids there are better" or the "school is better", it's just that the "school's reputation is better" and it makes them look better as parents. My public school is the 3rd best in the state.

Some private school kids (Esp. boys) are a bunch of p*icks...many of them don't even get a proper job after leaving school, they just deal in drugs or become 'Corporate' or 'White-collar Criminals' (the worse kind)...

I bet that'll tickle a few feathers...

Some private school kids (Esp. boys) are a bunch of p*icks...many of them don't even get a proper job after leaving school, they just deal in drugs or become 'Corporate' or 'White-collar Criminals' (the worse kind)...

I bet that'll tickle a few feathers...


Too many live in exclusive neighborhoods, go to exclusive schools, go to exclusive summer camps, and lead exclusive lives, and end
up President of the United States.(one too many) They actually think that they have worked hard to get where they are, "born on third
base and think they hit a home run"

The Big Lie is that the so-called teachers unions conspire to keep teachers' work light and educational standards low.  Thus by the Big Lie, the Bushies can say, "If you don't perform, we will dock your school's federal funds." The only effect this will really have is to further deprive the school of resources and deteriorate the quality of education for students. IMO, NCLB is another battle in the GOP's class warfare. They don't want smart students from poor backgrounds to threaten the entitled status of rich idiots like the Bush family.

The charter school movement is yet another thinly veiled class war maneuver to the same end. When a pupil withdraws from a public school, with that student goes the per-pupil-expenditure funds from the government.  Charter schools and homeschooling are completely hyped and oversold for the sole purpose of reducing the amount of public expenditures going to public education.

The motivation for the attack on public education comes both from the Grover Norquist-type greedheads and the Pat Robertson-type funnymentalist paranoids. The former has no sense of civic responsibility when it comes to money, only a sense of mine, mine, mine; the latter thinks the public schools are run by "secular humanists" who are only there to tell kids Jesus isn't real, to hand out rubbers to sixth graders, and to teach the students that America is an evil country.*  The true-blue red-state Republican today possesses both the traits of Grover Norquist and Pat Robertson!

*And, oh, if only this were the case! I would be much enthused. However, your local public school teacher is not likely to be a "secular humanist," but a Presbyterian
goody-goody in an ill-fitting suit!
;)
There are quite a few charter schools in places around here like Pleasantville, Pleasantville's public schools are really struggling, many parents in that town send their kids either to the charter schools, catholic schools like Our Lady Star of the Sea(Atlantic City), Assumption(Pomona), and St. Joseph Elementary(Somers Point) and Christian schools like Pilgrim Academy and Atlantic Christian...Absecon, where I live, sends their high schoolers to Pleasantville High School unless parents are willing to pay for their kids to go to Holy Spirit High School, which is in Absecon...Pleasantville High has had their share of problems with drugs and violence....

I was in special schools until I moved to a group home for emotionally challenged teens..where I was mainstreamed into Pitman High School, a pretty good public school with a small student body, decent(as well as compassionate) teachers, modern technology/facilities, and an interesting curriculum..

There are quite a few charter schools in places around here like Pleasantville, Pleasantville's public schools are really struggling, many parents in that town send their kids either to the charter schools, catholic schools like Our Lady Star of the Sea(Atlantic City), Assumption(Pomona), and St. Joseph Elementary(Somers Point) and Christian schools like Pilgrim Academy and Atlantic Christian...Absecon, where I live, sends their high schoolers to Pleasantville High School unless parents are willing to pay for their kids to go to Holy Spirit High School, which is in Absecon...Pleasantville High has had their share of problems with drugs and violence....

I was in special schools until I moved to a group home for emotionally challenged teens..where I was mainstreamed into Pitman High School, a pretty good public school with a small student body, decent(as well as compassionate) teachers, modern technology/facilities, and an interesting curriculum..


I actually once knew somebody from Pitman.

public school are riddiculous. at public schools, kids have no individuality, (they have to wear uniforms) they're over worked, and parents have to pay thousands of dollars extra every year to the schools. if you put your kid through public schools then the'll never be teased or made fun of. that sounds like a good thing, but it's not. kids need public schools to toughin them up. otherwise the'll get out of their private colledges, and not know how to cope in the real world.   

I think you mean 'private schools' are ridiculous. But no, I don't really agree with kids not being toughened up (well it may differ where you live) in private schools. But alot of them come out thinking they can bully everyone around, and get a sound dose of reality (think of those preppy 'fraternity club' stereotypes). There are actually alot of people like that - from both public and private, but mainly private schools.

I think you mean 'private schools' are ridiculous. But no, I don't really agree with kids not being toughened up (well it may differ where you live) in private schools. But alot of them come out thinking they can bully everyone around, and get a sound dose of reality (think of those preppy 'fraternity club' stereotypes). There are actually alot of people like that - from both public and private, but mainly private schools.


In the UK tuition schools are called public, in the US the are called private, and free schools in the UK are called private.  I don't know why
that is and would love an explanaition

I don't understand the hatred for private schooling.  Private school has advantages over public school and public school has advantages over private school. 

In the UK tuition schools are called public, in the US the are called private, and free schools in the UK are called private.  I don't know why
that is and would love an explanaition


I too was confused by the UK terminology. How are free government run (I assume they are government run) private??

In the UK tuition schools are called public, in the US the are called private, and free schools in the UK are called private.  I don't know why
that is and would love an explanaition


Actually, they're just called state schools and then Fee school's are Public schools.  ;)

Actually, they're just called state schools and then Fee school's are Public schools.  ;)


What I don't understand is why the UK calls schools that you have to pay for are called Public when the majority of the public
cannot afford to use them.  Public, here in the US means open to everyone, whereas public over there is the reverse.