Do you oppose private schools on principle?

Affable · 22-05-2008 03:09PM #1

And would you send your kids there, if so in what circumstances?

Sherifu · 22-05-2008 03:11PM

I oppose principles on privates.

Rb · 22-05-2008 03:11PM

I'm all for them and will be sending my kids to private schools.

GirlInterrupted · 22-05-2008 03:14PM

Rb wrote: »

I'm all for them and will be sending my kids to private schools.

Well, I went to private school and now work in a state school, and my kids, if I ever have any, will be going private. The reasons are too legion to detail.

And I don't want to identify myself.

Mena · 22-05-2008 03:15PM

Rb wrote: »

I'm all for them and will be sending my kids to private schools.

Same here.

Rb · 22-05-2008 03:16PM

GirlInterrupted wrote: »

And I don't want to identify myself.

Ok...

The only people who oppose private schools are those who can't afford to send their kids to one, or those whose parents couldn't afford to send them to one. There was a massive thread on this in the recent past and that was pretty much the outcome of it.

Dinter · 22-05-2008 03:17PM

Rb wrote: »

I'm all for them and will be sending my kids to private schools.

Me too.

funk-you · 22-05-2008 03:17PM

I wouldn't see the point of sending my kids to a private school just because it is private. I'll send them to the best school i can find, public or private.

-Funk

Affable · 22-05-2008 03:17PM

Rb wrote: »

I'm all for them and will be sending my kids to private schools.

I used to think it would be a crime and a political betrayal to send my kids private, but having encountered some of the **** at state schools, I think maybe I could buy them a much more civilised time at private school.
Then again I don't want them to become snobby and cliquey.

CrazyNoob · 22-05-2008 03:17PM

Yes private schools all the way, dont want the kids associating with riff-raff:eek:

Quality · 22-05-2008 03:19PM

Oh yes private schools for my lot, and the best thing about it is that I live in a very short commuting distance to two private schools.:D

Affable · 22-05-2008 03:21PM

Rb wrote: »

The only people who oppose private schools are those who can't afford to send their kids to one, or those whose parents couldn't afford to send them to one. There was a massive thread on this in the recent past and that was pretty much the outcome of it.

That's not true actually. Ever heard of Alistair Campbell and Fiona Millar?
He was Blair's spin doctor and she a Guardian Journalist. They refuse to send their kids private out of principle.

There are plenty of people who believe that sending kids private drives down standards in the state sector and that is contrary to belief in equality of opportunity, and so-called social justice.

AngryBadger · 22-05-2008 03:23PM

funk-you wrote: »

I wouldn't see the point of sending my kids to a private school just because it is private. I'll send them to the best school i can find, public or private.

-Funk

+1 to the max!

Affable · 22-05-2008 03:35PM

GirlInterrupted wrote: »

Well,

:mad:......

funk-you · 22-05-2008 03:35PM

AngryBadger wrote: »

+1 to the max!

High five!:pac:

-Funk

Dudess · 22-05-2008 03:40PM

Rb wrote: »

Ok...

The only people who oppose private schools are those who can't afford to send their kids to one, or those whose parents couldn't afford to send them to one. There was a massive thread on this in the recent past and that was pretty much the outcome of it.

Not me. My parents could have afforded to send me to private school no prob - in fact they gave me the option of it. And my brothers went to a private school. I wanted to go to one of the girls' schools in Cork city centre and it was a public school that won out for me in terms of facilities so I picked that.
And that's how I still feel. For me, it's nothing to do with principles, it's to do with which ever is the best school that's most convenient. And out of the schools my brothers had the option of, it was a private school that was the best in terms of facilities.
I'm not "opposed" to private schools at all. If I have kids and the local private school offers the best for them, then that's where I'll send them (provided I can afford it

).
However, what I am opposed to is people insisting on only sending their kids to a private school just because it's... a private school. People try and argue that private schools have the best facilities and the best teachers, which just isn't true. It varies from school to school, private or public. And there is no difference between the qualifications of a teacher in a private school and of a teacher in a public school. In fact, if anything, a teacher would probably prefer to work in a public school as it's a state job with more security.
Also there's the argument that a public school will be full of scumbags - without the area being taken into account, which is kinda dumb really.

So, for me, it's a case of judging each school on an individual basis - and not just in terms of facilities, subject choice, teachers (although I don't really know how a person could ascertain how good a school's teachers are, by the law of averages wouldn't there be pretty much the same mix across the board?) but also location, convenience, maybe family connection.

But simply picking a school just "because it's private" or also just "because it's public" is... silly. Although, at least there'll be a bit more diversity at a public school. I went to a public school with nearly 1,000 pupils in the centre of town so there were people from all walks of life. Sure, a few rough ones but they were a tiny, tiny minority and they stuck with their own groups so could be quite easily ignored. Most of them were gone after the junior cert anyway. My old school is a gorgeous big airy building with a gym and a huge pitch, language labs, computer labs, science and geography labs, art rooms, a library, a good canteen. Might sound standard but the private school across town is two ramshackle old houses with way less facilities. Not saying that's the case across the board but it shows you how this notion of private = good quality, public = bad quality is exactly that - a notion.

seamy_orr · 22-05-2008 03:47PM

I completly oppose private schools just like I can't stand a 2 tier health system. The status quo in this country is that if you've got money you can jump a 6 month queue in a hospital or go to a school were normal children go. Why so?
Why should someone who thinks that they worked so hard for their precious money be given a better standard while the guy next door worked just as hard but doesn't get paid enough to be able to afford private schooling. This right wing McDowell type pretentious little country is going way too far down the road of creating a 2 tier society with the 'If I've got the money for it, I'll damn pay for it attitude'. Is this the type of society anyone wants to live in?

Doctor DooM · 22-05-2008 03:47PM

I'd send my imaginary kid (littleDooM) to the best school I could find.

If it was private, I think I would hold some residual resentment against a system which forced me into paying extra to get littleDooM a decent education which he deserves because of his genius level intellect, however.

Red Hand · 22-05-2008 03:51PM

If I had the ideal situation in terms of being finacially secure, I'd probably educate them myself.

Quality · 22-05-2008 03:54PM

I was checking prices on one of the private schools local to me and it works out cheaper to send your child to private school than to a creche.

Where I live the private schools have much better facilities, especially for sports..

And as the saying goes, You getter a better class of drug dealer in the private school as well.

leninbenjamin · 22-05-2008 03:55PM

seen plenty of mates struggle in public, go onto private manage to get the points for whatever course they want because of one to one grinds in every subject, then go onto struggle massively in college, where others who wouldn't have achieved as high in public schools go on to do a lot better.

private education massively distorts peoples academic achievements, and undermines the education system as a whole. however seeing as our state run schools are so sh*t to begin with i'd probably send my kids to private and would hold no resentment to anyone who does.

funk-you · 22-05-2008 04:00PM

Rb wrote: »

Ok...

The only people who oppose private schools are those who can't afford to send their kids to one, or those whose parents couldn't afford to send them to one. There was a massive thread on this in the recent past and that was pretty much the outcome of it.

Arse. I got to choose between public or private and chose public. So did most of my mates. My kids will get the same choice. Elitism for the sake of it is just plain wankerish. Sending your kid to a school(if you have the means) that doesn't perform as well as another just because it looks good is bad parenting.

-Funk

Affable · 22-05-2008 04:14PM

Sherifu wrote: »

I oppose principles on privates.

Flippancy is the last refuge of the scoundrel.

funk-you · 22-05-2008 04:16PM

Affable wrote: »

Flippancy is the last refuge of the scoundrel.

Quotes are for people with little imagination.

-Funk

RedXIV · 22-05-2008 04:20PM

I went to a public school and am delighted i did. I'm more than happy with my overall results, the friends i made and everyother social aspect of my life i developed within it. and in contrast, one of my mates in college who went to a private school is struggling badly with college, is a drug abuser and can't quite handle a conversation past "what do your parents do for a living?"

Linking to the adversity thread going around now, i'm all for sending my kids to public school

Unshelved · 22-05-2008 04:24PM

I've no problem with private schools - good luck to anyone who wants to send their kids there.

However, I do have a big problem with taxes subsidising private schools. Let them survive on their own fees and let taxes go to public schools only - maybe then we'd see more public schools with better facilities.

menoscemo · 22-05-2008 04:29PM

Dudess wrote: »

However, what I am opposed to is people insisting on only sending their kids to a private school just because it's... a private school. People try and argue that private schools have the best facilities and the best teachers, which just isn't true. It varies from school to school, private or public. And there is no difference between the qualifications of a teacher in a private school and of a teacher in a public school. In fact, if anything, a teacher would probably prefer to work in a public school as it's a state job with more security.

This is untrue. Teachers in Private schools are paid for by the state, same as in public schools. They are civil servants too and are inpossible to sack. So most teachers given the choice would prefer a state job in a private school.

Rb · 22-05-2008 04:32PM

Dudess wrote: »

Not me. My parents could have afforded to send me to private school no prob - in fact they gave me the option of it. And my brothers went to a private school. I wanted to go to one of the girls' schools in Cork city centre and it was a public school that won out for me in terms of facilities so I picked that.
And that's how I still feel. For me, it's nothing to do with principles, it's to do with which ever is the best school that's most convenient. And out of the schools my brothers had the option of, it was a private school that was the best in terms of facilities.
I'm not "opposed" to private schools at all. If I have kids and the local private school offers the best for them, then that's where I'll send them (provided I can afford it ).
However, what I am opposed to is people insisting on only sending their kids to a private school just because it's... a private school. People try and argue that private schools have the best facilities and the best teachers, which just isn't true. It varies from school to school, private or public. And there is no difference between the qualifications of a teacher in a private school and of a teacher in a public school. In fact, if anything, a teacher would probably prefer to work in a public school as it's a state job with more security.
Also there's the argument that a public school will be full of scumbags - without the area being taken into account, which is kinda dumb really.

So, for me, it's a case of judging each school on an individual basis - and not just in terms of facilities, subject choice, teachers (although I don't really know how a person could ascertain how good a school's teachers are, by the law of averages wouldn't there be pretty much the same mix across the board?) but also location, convenience, maybe family connection.

But simply picking a school just "because it's private" or also just "because it's public" is... silly. Although, at least there'll be a bit more diversity at a public school. I went to a public school with nearly 1,000 pupils in the centre of town so there were people from all walks of life. Sure, a few rough ones but they were a tiny, tiny minority and they stuck with their own groups so could be quite easily ignored. Most of them were gone after the junior cert anyway. My old school is a gorgeous big airy building with a gym and a huge pitch, language labs, computer labs, science and geography labs, art rooms, a library, a good canteen. Might sound standard but the private school across town is two ramshackle old houses with way less facilities. Not saying that's the case across the board but it shows you how this notion of private = good quality, public = bad quality is exactly that - a notion.

You went to school in Cork though, didn't you?

I'm more referring to Dublin. I'm aware there's some really good public schools down the country. I've a lot of friends in Cork who all went to public schools there and did well.

The same can't be said about Dublin, in general the public schools aren't great. Off the top of my head the only public school I could see myself sending my kids to would be Muckross. There'll obviously be a few kids in the public schools in Dublin who'll really apply themselves to it and do well, but the standard of teachers and facilities is just not on par with the private schools and to be really honest, and this will come across as snobby, but I don't really want my kids mixing with the kids from council estates who's parents could give a f*ck about themselves, let alone their kids. It's snobby, but I'd rather minimize the risk of my kids being in classes with disruptive/trouble making kids (who are a result of bad parenting) and the things they bring along with them.

Dudess · 22-05-2008 04:36PM

menoscemo wrote: »

This is untrue. Teachers in Private schools are paid for by the state, same as in public schools. They are civil servants too and are inpossible to sack.

Sorry, my mistake.

So most teachers given the choice would prefer a state job in a private school.

Would they? Again, would it not simply depend on the school?

Rb wrote: »

but the standard of teachers and facilities is just not on par with the private schools.

Facilities fair enough, but teachers? It's not like private schools can hand-pick who they consider to be better teachers. And it's not like a teacher is required to have extra credentials to get a job at a private school.

flynnser19 · 22-05-2008 04:37PM

there is one private school in my town and the results are some of the worst in the town and it has the highest bullying rate in the town aswell!!i'd send me kids to a good school wether it be private or public!!

metaoblivia · 22-05-2008 04:39PM

I have no problem with private schools, and if I could afford it, and if I had kids, I would definitely consider sending them to one. The American public school system has many problems, and I don't feel it's headed in the right direction, with the major emphasis now on passing standarized state tests.
Not all private schools are associated with religions, and there are some fantastic charter and private schools that I feel would provide my (future) child with an actual education instead of teaching them how to pass a state test.

Do you oppose private schools on principle?

Comments