I drove past a billboard the other day advertising a particular private school. “The Caring Alternative,” it said, and there was a picture of a couple of sweet looking little girls in their school hats. Now, I have no problem believing that this particular school is caring, but ‘alternative’ to what?
I continued to drive. We were in the deep south of my city – an area known for its disadvantage. I was taking Adam*, my short term foster boy, to his school.
“What’s your school like?” I asked him.
“It’s great,” he said. “I’ve been there ever since prep so I know everyone.”
“Do you like your teacher?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he said. “She’s calm. She never yells, ever. And she spoils us.”
“Spoils you?” I asked. “How?”
“She brings us in treats. Things she makes herself at home. Biscuits and pizza and stuff. And she lets us play a game at the end of the day and if there’s someone who’s been really good, she lets them choose the game.”
Top Comments
I am so tired of the judgement that goes with sending your children to either public or private. I work hard to send my children to a private school. We chose the school after looking at both private and public. What it came down to was the school that catered best for my children's learning needs. My children are not pampered and indulged, they know that I work hard to pay their fees and they in turn work hard to be their best (not straight A's but their personal best both academically and socially). There are many families like myself at the school and I resent the shallow argument that it is only the rich and indulged that attend private schools. All children are different and have different learning needs and therefor schools need to be different to ensure that there is a learning space that suits every child, and creating those spaces is dependant on the teachers, school leadership and parent body. Parents need to stop judging and just focus on working together to provide a great learning environment for our children whether it be private or public.
We are a one income household with 5 kids. After looking at the public high schools in our area & taking in various factors, we made an informed decision to send our oldest to a private school. There are several families like ours & on family tax benefits but regardless, we all choose to send our children there. The school is aware of this & allows families to make discreet payment plans & goes out of their way to ensure that families aren't struggling to keep up with fees.
Last year my son broke his arm playing on the field. When I arrived at his school I was greeted at the gate by one teacher & my son was surrounded by 5 teachers, including the Principal, who were watching over him. Over the week he was home following surgery I was receiving many calls from his school to see how he was.
Simone Andrews you are dead wrong that private schools don't care. Please get off your high horse & write a more informed & better researched article.