School Choice: Public vs. Private

There is plenty of public opinion regarding school choice particularly in terms of whether it is better to send your child to a public school or a private school.

Stephan Ball (1996) states that, “such things as class size, teaching methods, teacher qualifications and quality, breadth of curriculum, extra-curricular activity of facilities, social composition, examination performance and opportunities” are all things parents should take into consideration when choosing a school for their child. Although all of these criteria are very important when choosing a school, a parent also needs to put serious thought in deciding whether it is a private or public school they would like their child to be educated in. The differences between public and private education has been an ongoing debate for years and it has become clear that both of these educational institutions have both advantages and disadvantages for the students that attend.

Private schools usually have student and teacher populations from shared religions and socioeconomic status, although they are legally restricted from any kind of discrimination based on race, religion or color. I attended a private Catholic girls high school, St Ursula’s College Kingsgrove. I found that the strong sense of order and discipline in the school encouraged a good learning environment where most students maintained motivation to excel and continuously strived to do well in their academic studies. However the cultural composition of the school meant that I attended school with students and even teachers like me - middle class and of the Christian faith. Despite the advantages of such an environment, there were also many limitations that restricted the opportunity for highly valued cross-cultural interaction.

Studies have revealed that students from minority backgrounds often have trouble adjusting to a new environment especially in secondary schools because of their culture (Sonn, 2000). These students become more exposed to racism and prejudice due to their apparent differences which in turn makes learning difficult. This may be a potential reason why some people view religious private schools as a positive aspect of private schooling, arguing that being educated within a community where all people share the same values, beliefs and attitudes may prevent conflict and bullying between students.

Although I agree with this, I also think that not being exposed to different religious cultures during school can eventually cause some students to lack appreciation towards other religions and also view them as foreign and atypical. It is for this reason that some people prefer to send their kids to public schools, as they take pride in differences and students that attend these schools are exposed to a vast range of cultures. Students in public schools may feel more acknowledged and are presented with the opportunity to learn tolerance in such diverse environments.

Nevertheless, ‘cosmopolitan learning’ in schools, particularly private schools, can assist in broadening students understanding of diversity and multicultural difference. This acquisition of knowledge has the potential to challenge current cultural inequalities that arise from differences of religion and socioeconomic status.

References

· C. Sonn (2000), Encounters with the Dominant Culture: Voices of Indigenous Students in Mainstream Higher Education.

· Ball, S. (1996). On the cusp: Parents choosing beteen state and private schools in the UK: Action within the economy of symbolic goods. International Journal of Inclusive Education.